The Marine Corps recently published a Request For Information (RFI) to start market research to inform planning for a new small unmanned surface vessel (USV) to help conduct reconnaissance.
According to an RFI published
on December 1 by the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC), the service is seeking to assess capabilities in the marketplace and update market research in support of preliminary acquisition planning for the Maritime Reconnaissance Unmanned Surface Vessel.
The service is looking to ultimately procure a semi-autonomous USV that can conduct multi-domain sensor collection to improve maritime domain awareness for the Marine Expeditionary Force, Naval Expeditionary Force and coalition maritime operations centers.
MCSC is looking for USVs that can be transportable via various Marine Corps organic assets like the CH-53 helicopter and C-130 Hercules; mission control from shore and afloat platforms and payload capacity for additional modules like remote sensor deployments, anti-submarine warfare sonar payloads and optional radio frequency sensor/ electronic support payloads.
The service envisions a payload power capacity for this USV of more than 3.5 kilowatts of continuous power above that needed for automotive and navigation loads.
MCSC wants the USV to have a range of more than 500 nautical miles at the most efficient speed, endurance of greater than 24 hours while sensors operate at slow speed and the ability to spring upwards of 35 knots for under an hour.
Beyond the vessel itself, the MCSC is also interested in enabling systems like modular payloads/sensor systems for a small craft, sensor deployment on such a craft, marinized and integrated power generation for onboard systems and payloads, mine detection systems for small craft, autonomous launch and recovery, and underway refueling.
Questions about the RFI are due by December 12 and full responses are due by January 16, 2024.
This is one of several USV platforms the Marine Corps is considering.
In September, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl said next year the Marine Corps will test one experimental Autonomous Low Profile Vessel moving two Naval Strike Missiles at a time in canisters than can be brought ashore (Defense Daily, Sept. 6).
Last year, former Commandant Gen. David Berger said another vessel, the Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessels (LRUS), will primarily serve as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform while other vessels would be looked at for logistics uses (Defense Daily, Sept. 19, 2022).
Berger said the LRUSV could increase Marine Corps range across the water and act as a base to launch additional unmanned collection systems.