The Navy issued a market survey late last month for information on sources able to provide support to integrate new technologies and applications onto the Ocean Aero Triton Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV).
The Dec. 22 notice said this is related to how Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Florida (NSWC PCD) is already tasked with procuring another Triton unmanned vehicle. NSWC PCD will then continue test and evaluation of applications to use on the vehicle, including integration with new technologies and contractor support for ongoing testing tasks.
The notice said it specifically aims to get written information “to identify sources capable of providing support and expertise, with intentions of proposing on this effort.”
The posting said this is not a request for competitive proposals. Responses are directed to be up to 10 pages long and due by Jan. 10.
Last year, Ocean Aero and major Navy shipbuilder HII [HII] announced a strategic agreement to enhance both companies’ unmanned maritime platforms and autonomous software solutions. This includes exploring a Triton towing an HII REMUS unmanned undersea vehicle to conduct a mission without human intervention, a wireless REMUS-to-Triton data file transfer and integration of the HII Odyssey autonomy suite onto the Triton vehicle (Defense Daily, March 2, 2023).
According to an Ocean Aero webpage, the Triton can be launched and recovered with one or two people, it can sail autonomously for up to three months using solar and wind power at speeds up to five knots. Triton can submerge autonomously like a submarine for up to five days at a time, traveling at two knots.