Navy awards $41.9 million in Large Unmanned Surface Vessel study contracts

The Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded six companies contracts totaling $41,985,112 for studies of a Large Unmanned Surface Vessel.

Each contract includes an option for engineering support. If all options were exercised, the cumulative value for all awards would be $59,476,146.

The companies awarded the contracts and the award amounts are as follows:

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Miss. – $7,000,000
Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Md. – $6,999,978
Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, Lockport, La. – $6,996,832
Marinette Marine Corp., Marinette, Wis. – $6,999,783
Gibbs & Cox Inc., Arlington, Va. – $6,989,499
Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Ala. – $6,999,020

NAVSEA says the contracts were established in order to refine specifications and requirements for a Large Unmanned Surface Vessel and conduct reliability studies informed by industry partners with potential solutions prior to competition of a Detail Design and Construction contract.

“These studies contracts will allow the Navy to harvest the learning from our land- and sea-based prototyping efforts and work directly with industry to refine the requirements for an affordable, reliable, and effective Large Unmanned Surface Vessel and reduce risk for a future design and construction competition,” said Capt. Pete Small, program manager, Unmanned Maritime Systems (PMS 406), within the Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants at Naval Sea Systems Command.