US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has visited Austin to promote domestic arms manufacturing, touring defence technology company Saronic and praising its role in developing autonomous vessels for the US military.
Hegseth made the visit on Friday, September 18, as part of his “Arsenal of Freedom Tour”, an initiative intended to strengthen the American defence industrial base and expand manufacturing capacity.
Hundreds of Saronic employees gathered at the company’s Austin facility to hear the secretary speak. He said the United States’ manufacturing sector was undergoing a revival.
“American manufacturing is back. American made is back and not a minute too soon,” Hegseth said.
Saronic’s autonomous vessels highlighted during Austin visit
Saronic develops autonomous surface vessels for military and maritime operations. Hegseth toured the company’s 420,000-square-foot facility before addressing staff about the importance of linking American industry with military capability.
He thanked workers for supporting service personnel, saying the soldiers and sailors operating in the field depended on the engineers and manufacturing teams behind them.
“The point of this tour is to look patriots in the eye and thank you for the work that you’ve done, and for the work that you’re doing,” he said.
The secretary also credited Saronic technology with helping to rescue two American pilots after Iranian forces shot down their Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year.
He described the incident as the first publicly known rescue mission involving a US military drone boat and told employees the pilots were alive because of the innovation developed at the Austin company.
“You did that. Those pilots are alive today because of the incredible innovation under this very roof,” Hegseth said.
Saronic has expanded rapidly since it was founded in 2022. The company now employs more than 1,200 people in Texas and operates approximately 540,000 square feet of facilities across Austin.
Hegseth cited the production of more than 300 Corsair vessels, along with the development of the 52-foot Mirage and the 180-foot Marauder, as examples of the company’s ability to deliver new platforms quickly.
He also referred to Saronic’s plans for a large shipbuilding complex at the Port of Brownsville, known as Port Alpha. The project is expected to involve a reported $3 billion investment and could create up to 10,000 jobs, according to figures highlighted during the visit.
Alongside Saronic, Hegseth visited Capital Factory, an Austin venture firm and technology hub, and administered the oath of enlistment to new recruits at the Austin Armed Forces Reserve Centre.
His Texas programme was announced by the Department of War as part of both the “Arsenal of Freedom” and “Send Me” tours. On Saturday, September 19, he was due to travel to Texas A&M University in College Station to address the Corps of Cadets and visit its Veterans Resource Centre.
He was also expected to attend the university’s football game against the University of Kentucky, where prisoners of war and military personnel missing in action were due to be recognised.
The Austin appearance came days after the US House postponed a vote on Republican congressman Thomas Massie’s attempt to impeach Hegseth over alleged unauthorised military actions during the war in Iran. Hegseth did not refer to the impeachment effort during his remarks in Austin.
