VideoRay ROV Tapped for Navy Mine Countermeasure Prototype Program

8 October 2026
Edited By: Haley McQueen

AeroVironment, Inc. (AV), a global defense technology leader, has announced that AV's wholly owned subsidiary VideoRay is supporting an AEVEX-led team selected for a prototype Other Transaction Agreement following the US Navy and Department of War Innovation Unit's (DIU) Mine Countermeasure Modernization Prize Challenge. BlackSea Technologies, now part of AEVEX Maritime Systems, was one of three companies awarded challenge prizes following successful Navy demonstrations.

(Image credit: VideoRay)

The challenge sought mature, communications-resilient, and rapidly fieldable commercial capabilities for mine countermeasure missions in contested environments, including bottom mine neutralization and near-surface mine neutralization.

During competitive in-water testing, VideoRay demonstrated an autonomous mine countermeasure remotely operated vehicle (ROV) launched from an AEVEX unmanned surface vessel with an autonomous launch and recovery system. Operators conducted missions over the horizon from a remote ground control station while the system executed vessel transit, station keeping, ROV launch and recovery, target investigation, simulated neutralization, and post-engagement assessment.

“The Navy demonstrated that commercial technology can move from evaluation to operational planning at a pace that matters,” said Chris Gibson, Vice President of Underwater Uncrewed Vehicles for AV. “Mission Specialist Defender gives the Fleet a modular underwater platform that can integrate with different surface vessels and payloads, allowing operators to conduct complex mine countermeasure missions while remaining outside the threat area.”

For the challenge, VideoRay also worked with ECS Special Projects Ltd.

The Navy and DIU launched the MCM Modernization Challenge to identify mature, rapidly fieldable commercial technologies capable of completing the detect-to-engage kill chain while keeping warfighters outside the threat zone. Winning systems will be integrated into the Fleet’s autonomous mine countermeasure kits as the service transitions commercial technologies into operational use.

Mission Specialist Defender is a modular, open-architecture underwater robotic system designed to support demanding intervention missions and the integration of third-party sensors, manipulators, and specialized payloads. The US Navy selected Defender as the base platform for its MK20 Defender ROV supporting the Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response program, and in 2024 awarded VideoRay a $92.6 million five-year contract for continued production, sustainment, and development of the platform. That award supports EOD and expeditionary mine countermeasure missions.