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ignation of the second Sea Hunter MDUSV being
operated by the Navy, also built by Leidos. The
company described the Seahawk as a long-
range, high-availability autonomous surface
vessels with a composite trimaran hull.

TEAMING AT SEA Collaborative Approach
There is already growing demand for manu-
facturers to develop countermeasure-based
unmanned systems that can be deployed across
the armed forces and carry out countermea-
Manned-unmanned teaming experimentation sure operations independently. In April 2021,
is growing in the maritime domain the US Navy awarded a contract to Textron Inc.
for the development of an Unmanned Influence
The demand for unmanned surface vessels (USVs) is showing Sweep System (UISS) for mine warfare appli-
tremendous growth with a growing number of naval forces now cations. Between 2021 to 2025, the U.S. Navy
experimenting with manned-unmanned teaming in the maritime is expected to spend approximately US$12 bil-
domain. The successful integration of USVs into the fleets of modern lion for unmanned aircraft, surface vessels, and
navies, will enhance their maritime domain awareness but also underwater systems.
increase their deterrence ability. One of the leaders in USVs and
maritime manned-unmanned teaming is the U.S. Navy, which has Textron Systems Corporation is developing the
established a goal to have 100 USVs available for patrol in waters UISS programme which is based on its Common
around the Arabian Peninsula by the end of the summer of 2023. Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV). The CUSV
Interestingly, the U.S. Navy says the majority of these systems will as a multi-mission unmanned surface vehicle,
be sourced from its international and regional partners. In 2022, the has the capability of carrying multiple payloads
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) established Task including side-scan sonar, mine neutralization,
Force 59, to rapidly integrate unmanned systems and artificial intel- non-lethal weapons, and intelligence, surveil-
ligence with maritime operations. It will include 15 different types of lance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors.
unmanned systems—10 of which will operate in the area for the first
time—as well as several AI and data integration systems. The UISS is the USN’s first USV programme of
record and completed developmental tests
Capability Integration and operational assessment in 2020, becom-
In May 2022, the U.S. Navy created a separate USV division— ing the first Navy USV to reach this milestone.
Unmanned Surface Vessel Division (USVDIV) One— for the integration The UISS provides unmanned mine counter
of unmanned systems into the US Navy. This unit is formed for man- measure and capabilities using interchange-
aging unmanned surface vehicle experimentation for medium and able payloads and advanced sensors and is
large unmanned surface vehicles such as the Sea Hunter and the part of a comprehensive Mine Counter Measure
Sea Hawk, both of which will participate in anti-submarine war- Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV) mission
fare missions. Moreover, with the help of this division, the US Navy, and is designed to be deployed from the Littoral
in August 2022, announced that for the first time, it had cleared a Combat Ship (LCS) and vessels of opportunity.
major acquisition milestone on a USV, allowing it to begin operating
in the fleet. L3Harris Technologies has also won a Navy order
for its Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV)
The U.S. Navy had also conducted manned-unmanned teams exper- programme, which is the first USV programme
iments at the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 exercise that to support the Navy’s Distributed Maritime
enabled the Navy to decide the future of the Medium Unmanned Operations strategy. The US$35 million initial
Surface Vehicle in naval fleets. With four USV prototypes under the award was part of a US$281 million programme
helm of the recently created USVDIV One, the Navy paired the plat- that includes a prototype and options for a total
forms with destroyers at the RIMPAC to experiment with and better of nine MUSVs.
understand how the four USVs all work in conjunction with manned
warships. The New USVDIV command served as the bridge between L3Harris will integrate the company’s ASView
the programme office and the fleet for that feedback. autonomy technology into a purpose-built
195-foot commercially derived vehicle from a
The USVs at RIMPAC included Ghost Fleet Overlord test ships Nomad facility along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The
and Ranger, which were originally developed by the Pentagon’s MUSV will provide intelligence, surveillance and
Strategic Capabilities Office. Sea Hunter, which was developed by reconnaissance to the fleet while maneuvering
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and its autonomously and complying with international
sister ship, Seahawk, also took part in the exercise. Sea Hunter and Collision Regulations, even in operational envi-
Seahawk are considered medium-sized USVs. Seahawk is the des- ronments.
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