Accelint Opens Unmanned Surface Vessel Integration Facility in Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITYBEACH, FL — Accelint, a defense technology company delivering AI, autonomy, and mission systems to the U.S. and allied military, held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its new Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) Integration Facility on April 8,2026. The event, hosted in partnership with the Bay Area Economic Development Alliance (EDA), celebrated a significant investment in the region's defense industrial base and marked the official launch of a facility purpose-built to develop, integrate, and field the MV-20 autonomous maritime platform.

The facility represents more than a production site; it is a long-term commitment to PanamaCity Beach as a hub for maritime autonomy technology. The location was chosen for its proximity to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWC PC), Tyndall Air Force Base, direct waterway access to the Gulf, and a deep regional workforce experienced in marine trades and platform integration.

A New Kind of Defense Technology Employer

The facility supports the full MV-20 program lifecycle, from hull receipt and electronics integration to autonomy stack testing, payload configuration, and post-mission analysis. A broad range of technical roles are required to operate the facility, including mechanical, electrical, and software engineers alongside specialists in systems integration, AI, and autonomy. Accelint expects to create upwards of 50 jobs in the Panama City area within the next two years, with the potential for significant growth as Accelint expands its industrial footprint in the region.

"This is more than just building boats," said Accelint's Ben Pinx. "We're bringing an industrial base to the Panama City area that includes an AI-enabled economy and advanced training capabilities. The MV-20 is the anchor for a larger portfolio of industrial offerings from Accelint — beyond the traditional ship builder, these are tech jobs."

The MV-20:Autonomous Maritime Capability for the Gulf Coast and Beyond

The MV-20 is a multi-mission, open-architecture small unmanned surface vehicle designed for defense and maritime security operations. Capable of traveling more than 1,300 nautical miles on a single tank, sustaining loiter operations for 7+ days without refueling, and reaching speeds over 30 knots, the vessel is purpose-built for the Navy's Distributed Maritime Operations doctrine. Accelint received a competitive contract from the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW R&E) in 2025 under the EMC2 Other Transaction Authority (OTA)mechanism to build and demonstrate the platform.

"The Panama City integration facility reflects our long-term commitment to building maritime autonomy infrastructure in the United States," said Brian Morrison, CEO of Accelint. "It strengthens the regional defense industrial base and gives operators and program offices a place to integrate, validate,and deliver capability faster."

About theGrand Opening Event

The April 8 ribbon cutting offered attendees the opportunity to tour the facility, see MV-20 platforms up close, and meet the engineering team behind the program. Remarks were delivered by Accelint leadership and community and business leaders, elected officials, and representatives from regional military installations were all in attendance.