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cially launched in September last year at the
Defence and Security Equipment International
(DSEI) conference in London. The new system
was unveiled as part of the Maritime Autonomy
Surface Testbed (MAST) 13 programme devel-
oped by the Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory (Dstl) in collaboration with L3Harris.
The MAST 13 programme aims to further
understanding of how USVs can be used in [ UNMANNED TECHNOLOGIES ]
defence. “MAST 13 reflects the increased use
of unmanned systems in the military domain.
This vehicle serves as a test platform to support
new concepts for the Royal Navy, allowing them
to exploit unmanned systems and maintain a
technical advantage,” said Alasdair Gilchrist,
Above Water Systems Programme Manager,
Dstl.

The 13m long vessel will have a high-speed
and fully autonomous navigation. The Royal
Navy will use it for trials to understand its abil-
ity to protect naval task force at sea, where
its onboard systems will be used to identify
threats such as mines or collect intel on enemy
ships. USVs could offer a potent capability
for the Naval fleet; increasing protection and
information for the UK’s powerful war ships by
detecting threats and operating beyond the
visual line of sight. “I am extremely excited
be just as automated as the platforms themselves in order to reduce about the technology developed for MAST-13
the number of operators and operate reliably beyond line of sight,” and its potential to enhance Naval capability.
Green adds. This builds on our existing autonomy capabil-
UISS is part of a comprehensive MCM USV mission which will be ities, including the state-of-the-art Maritime
deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and other vessels Autonomous Platform Exploitation (MAPLE)
which can accommodate it. Textron Systems designed the CUSV software integration system developed by
to operate as a multi-mission unmanned surface vehicle, capable Dstl and industry partners,” said Admiral Tony
of carrying multiple payloads including side-scan sonar, mine neu- Radakin CB ADC, First Sea Lord and Chief of
tralization, non-lethal weapons, and intelligence, surveillance and the Naval Staff. He added, “I look forward to
reconnaissance (ISR) sensors. Production will be completed at seeing the further developments in sensor and
Textron’s Hunt Valley, Md. and New Orleans locations. countermeasure technologies that this could
enable, and the increased reach and lethality
Last July, the U.S. Navy also released a Request For Proposals this will bring to our ships.”
(RFP) to industry for the development of the Medium Unmanned
Surface Vehicle (MUSV). The service had earlier released a draft MAST has been Designed, built and com-
MUSV performance specification in February 2019. Accelerating missioned by L3Harris’ Unmanned Maritime
Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) and payload development and Systems and the ASV uses L3Harris’ ASView
warfighting integration will provide an inflection point in delivering a proprietary autonomous control system and
more distributed force in support of the National Defence Strategy. advanced algorithms developed for the U.K.’s
The Navy plans to award a contract for a single MUSV prototype Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
in the first quarter of FY20. The RFP calls for the MUSV to be a (Dstl). Predecessor MAST systems developed
pier-launched, self-deploying modular, open architecture surface by L3Harris and Dstl include MAST 9, which is a
vehicle capable of autonomous navigation and mission execution. high-speed vessel capable of operating auton-
It also contain options for additional USVs. omously and beyond line-of-sight, to carry out
reconnaissance, interdiction and patrol tasks.
Warship Protection L3Harris and Dstl have been in collaboration
The United Kingdom (UK) is working on a next generation unmanned since 2014 for development of ASVs that sup-
system that is similar to a water-borne drone. This Autonomous port new concepts for the Royal Navy and act
Surface Vehicle (ASV) built by L3Harris Technologies was offi- as a testbed for innovative technologies.

12 | March/April 2020 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ ADT