Defense

Manned-Unmanned Teaming

Not all autonomous systems are created equal, and it’s common that when we speak of autonomy many times we’re thinking of autonomy in various ways. Vessels can feature a human on-board with autonomy simplifying tasks or they can be fully unmanned and controlled remotely.

ABB has secured a contract with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku to supply an integrated power and propulsion package comprising two Azipod® propulsion units and the Onboard DC Grid™ power system for two new, advanced multi-purpose patrol vessels of the Finnish Border Guard.

The U.S. Navy and four allied and partner nations concluded operations for the annual, multi-national exercise Sea Dragon 2023, March 29.

Minister for Defense Procurement Alex Chalk attended the ceremony to officially begin construction on the future HMS Birmingham at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow.

The Sailors, ships, squadrons and staffs of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) successfully completed composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), April 2, 2023.

Landing Platform Dock HNLMS Johan de Witt has left the Damen Naval shipyard in Vlissingen-Oost. Over the past 13 months, the amphibious transport ship has undergone a comprehensive Midlife Update (MLU) in conjunction with the third period of Appointed Maintenance (BO3).

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.