Textron Systems [TXT], has won the Navy’s contract for unmanned boats designed to operate off the Littoral Combat Ship to sweep minefields.
The Navy awarded the $34 million dollar contract to Textron Systems’ Unmanned Systems unit earlier this week for the engineering and manufacturing development phase of one Unmanned Influence Sweep System, also known as the Common Unmanned Surface Vessel. If all options are exercised, the contract could reach a value of $118 million.
The CUSV will carry equipment to detonate acoustic and magnetic mines to clear any potential minefield, and will operate as part of the mine counter measure mission package being developed for the LCS class.
“It goes out and clears the area for certain types of acoustic and magnetic mines,” Bill Leonard, the director of unmanned surface systems at AAI Textron, said in an interview.
Four other companies submitted bids for the contract. The Navy currently plans to buy enough boats for each LCS. The current program of record for the LCS is 52. But the number of CUSVs the Navy ends up buying could change depending on the outcome of a review the Navy is currently conducting for the small surface combatant requirement.
The CUSVs can operate off both Freedom and Independence variants of the LCS.
Leonard said his company has used technology developed for unmanned aerial vehicles and applied it to the surface capability. He said the 11-meter CUSVs can evolve to take on greater capabilities if the Navy chooses, including mine hunting.