Defense

UsX Roadmap’s Challenge:

In its comprehensive Unmanned Systems (UsX) Roadmap, a phone book thick treatise first published in 2015, the US Navy acknowledged its challenge from the outset:

MacArtney Underwater Technology draws on in-house expert knowledge and long, close cooperation with Textron Systems to supply custom-built winches withstanding shock and vibration from exploding mines for the Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV®) used on the US Navy’s Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV).

The undersea battlespace is becoming increasingly contested. In response to this threat, the United States and its allies are developing autonomous and remotely operated platforms that deliver enhanced mission capability, increased capacity, and improved lethality.

Orbit Communication Systems Ltd., a leading global provider of satellite communications solutions, is presenting its OceanTRx 4MIL advanced antenna system and launching its Orbit Switching Matrix (OSM) for management of several antennas on a military naval vessel, in order to enable continuous satellite communication, even in challenging conditions.

Kraken Robotics Inc. announces $1.5 million in orders from a US defense customer for our AquaPix® synthetic aperture sonars (SAS). These 6000-meter rated systems will be integrated to the customer’s Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). Delivery is expected in 2023.

Joined by senior U.S. Navy officials at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding, Bollinger Shipyards LLC last week officially commenced construction of the future USNS MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION, the tenth Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (“T-ATS”) and the fifth T-ATS vessel being constructed by Bollinger since acquiring the program in April of 2021.

Kongsberg Maritime announces the sale of six sets of Controllable Pitch Propeller systems to Hyundai Heavy Industries for installation in six new 94-meter offshore patrol vessels for the Philippine Navy.

Bollinger Shipyards LLC (“Bollinger”) has delivered the USCGC Maurice Jester to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. This is the 178th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 52nd Fast Response Cutter (“FRC”) delivered under the current program.

The Middle East region’s largest maritime exercise, International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2023, kicked off its operational phase March 2 during an opening ceremony at U.S. 5th Fleet’s headquarters in Bahrain.

ARMADA Marine Robotics has won a SBIR Phase II contract from the US Navy to continue development of an External Payload Delivery System (EPADS) for cylindrical Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). The contract is for $1M over 2 years with an Option for another $1M over 2 additional years.

Following the success of the Digital Horizon 22 Unmanned & Artificial Intelligence Exercise organized by the U.S. Navy in Bahrain, Exail Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), DriX, was selected by the 5th fleet’s task force 59 to take part in the two-week 2023 International Maritime Exercise (IMX 23), that will be held in Bahrain and Jordan from March 5th to 16th.

JFD supported a very successful Flying Fish exercise, a NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) aircraft loading evolution, with the US Air Force last September.