Unmanned Maritime Systems Development Accelerates
There is little question that world militaries see the value of unmanned systems to complement their manned counterparts. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accelerated the development of unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground systems to meet urgent operational needs. Now, there is increasing interest in unmanned surface systems, resulting in their placement on an accelerated development path.Like their air and ground counterparts, these unmanned surface systems are valued because of their ability to reduce the risk to human life in high threat areasā¦
U.S. Navy: Unmanned Maritime Systems Development Accelerates
There is little question that world militaries see the value of unmanned systems to complement their manned counterparts. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accelerated the development of unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground systems to meet urgent operational needs. Now, there is increasing interest in unmanned surface systems, resulting in their placement on an accelerated development path.Like their air and ground counterparts, these unmanned surface systems are valued because of their ability to reduce the risk to human life in high threat areasā¦
Feature: N. Carolina Adds Two New Ferries
The State of North Carolina has been very good to shipbuilding companies along the Gulf Coast. In the last 10 years, nearly a dozen ferries have been built or substantially modernized in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. In just the past two years, the second largest state ferry system in the nation has built two 180-ft. car/passenger ferries and substantially renovated two additional vessels. The two new ferries are literally carbon copies of each other. "They were built from the same set of plans, so it is difficult to get two vessels any more similar than that," said Dan Noe, manager of quality assurance for the North Carolina Ferry Division.
Bollinger Introduces
The evolution of a new offshore boat design ideally happens with considerable customer input. But in the case of Bollinger Shipyards' new 220-ft. class supply vessel, a fortunate coincidence happen. The first customer for the new vessel, C&G Boats, Golden Meadow, La., and Bollinger independently evolved a vessel with many of the same design features. "When we decided that we needed a new, more capable supply boat, we rejected many conventional designs because they did not have what our customers told us they wanted," said Joey Arceneaux, president of MNM Boats, the operating division of C&G Boats, Golden Meadow, La. Arceneaux said heā¦
