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Manned And Unmanned Systems News

31 Aug 2022

Iran Caught Trying to Capture US Navy Sea Drone

(Photo: U.S Navy)

The U.S. Navy said it thwarted an Iranian attempt to capture one if its unmanned surface vessels (USV) in the Arabian Gulf.While transiting international waters around 11 p.m. (local time), Aug. 29, U.S. 5th Fleet observed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) support ship Shahid Baziar towing a Saildrone Explorer USV in an attempt to detain it. U.S. Navy patrol coastal ship USS Thunderbolt (PC 12) was operating nearby and immediately responded. U.S. 5th Fleet also launched an MH-60S Sea Hawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, based in Bahrain.The actions taken by U.S.

14 Jun 2017

US Navy: Bigger is Better, but at What Cost?

U.S. Navy forces and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force routinely train together to improve interoperability and readiness to provide stability and security for the Indo-Asia Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Z.A. Landers)

The U.S. Navy has a balanced fleet, but it wants to grow bigger and better. Will the budget allow both? Maritime Reporter's March 2017 cover story on the U.S. Navy was all about the numbers. There exists several plans to grow the fleet beyond the current number of 308 ships, the Mitre recommendation of 414 ships, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment 340-ship proposal, and the Navy’s decision to grow the fleet to 355 ships, and the Trump administration’s 350. With so many numbers being bandied about, there are even more suggestions on how to get there.

09 Apr 2017

Navy Maritime Tactical Unmanned Air Systems

Images of remotely piloted aircraft soaring over a naval fleet might seem like an ultramodern picture. But unmanned aircraft are nothing new to the Fleet Air Arm, which has provided remotely piloted targets for gunnery practice since 1953. This started with the jet-powered Jindivik pilotless aircraft being used as a target, then for target towing before retirement in 1998. Sea Sparrow missiles were tested by firing at Kalkara aircraft, the Jindivik’s successor. Navy now has a different generation of remotely piloted aircraft in mind with fixed and rotary-wing maritime tactical unmanned air systems undergoing evaluation. The first of these is the ScanEagle…

16 Dec 2016

Video: US Navy Tests Autonomous Swarmboats

An unmanned rigid-hull inflatable boat operates autonomously during an Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored demonstration of swarmboat technology held at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. During the demonstration four boats, using an ONR-sponsored system called CARACaS (Control Architecture for Robotic Agent Command Sensing), operated autonomously during various scenarios designed to identify, trail or track a target of interest. (U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams)

The U.S. Navy is examining new possibilities for autonomy in future naval missions, putting autonomous unmanned vessels to the test in a recent demonstration in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Officials from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), together with partners from industry, academia and other government organizations, leveraged a combination of high-tech software, radar and other sensors to get a “swarm” of rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) and other small vessels – “swarmboats” – to collectively perform autonomous patrol missions with only remote human supervision.

17 Sep 2013

Contract: Additional Mission Modules for LCS

Northrop Grumman received a $25.2m contract from the U.S. Navy for additional Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules. The company will deliver three mission module packages - two for surface warfare missions and one for mine countermeasures. "Northrop Grumman continues to demonstrate that, as the mission package integrator, we are delivering high quality, fully integrated mission modules," said Doug Shaffer, director of information operations and electronic attack, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

24 Jun 2013

Northrop Grumman to Integrate Navy LCS Mission Package

USS Freedom (U.S. Navy Photo)

Northrop Grumman Corporation received a $28 million contract from the U.S. Navy for engineering and production planning services for surface warfare and mine countermeasures mission module components that will deploy from, and integrate with, the littoral combat ship (LCS). With this award, Northrop Grumman continues its role as the mission package integrator with expanding roles in systems engineering, mission module production and mission package fleet sustainment, including distance support for the currently deployed USS Freedom (LCS 1).

04 Jun 2004

First LCS Contract Awarded

Lockheed Martin Corporation - Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J. ($46,501,821) and General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine ($78,798,188) are each being awarded contract options for final system design with options for detail design and construction of up to two Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). "Today's Littoral Combat Ship decision represents an important milestone for the warfighter and the acquisition team," said John Young, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. Operational experience and analyses indicate that potential adversaries will employ asymmetric capabilities to deny U.S. and allied forces access in critical coastal regions to include strategic chokepoints and vital economic sea lanes.

07 Jul 2004

Feature: And Then There Were Two

The long-awaited awarding of the contract to construct the new series of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), a series that could total 60 ships worth $14 billion over 15 years, will have to wait just a little longer. However, the U.S. Navy in late May did pare the competition to two, with teams headed by General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works and Lockheed Martin Corporation - Maritime Systems & Sensors tapped to continue construction plans. LCS has generated fierce competition among the few remaining, large corporate entities that dominate the military markets today. While General Dynamics ($78,798,188) and Lockheed Martin Corporation — Maritime Systems & Sensors ($46…

13 Sep 2007

Northrop Grumman Supports First LCS Mission Package Delivery

and the U.S. ceremonies tomorrow in Panama City, Fla. being developed for the LCS. warfare. containerized and ready for installation and activation aboard any LCS. management grid. and surface warfare packages in 2008 and 2009. Dr. Delores M. for the event. senior company official at the ceremony. packages. that are developing and delivering the first several prototypes. as a "plug-and-fight" package. and with the greater Navy network in which the LCS functions. subsurface domains. They comprise warfighting capabilities (e.g. the operators. unmanned vehicle, a Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems product. 20 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall. mine countermeasures package. containers to be shipped to staging areas around the world. Littoral Mine Warfare.

12 Jan 2006

Northrop Grumman to Integrate Mission Package on LCS

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a cost plus award fee/award term contract with a potential dollar value of $159 million to integrate mission packages and evaluate future mission systems technologies for the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). contract award is approximately $4.5 million. this effort. regions. warfighting architecture as a requirement. number of secondary missions. surface and subsurface domains. Littoral Combat Ships relevant to the spectrum of conflict. modules on the ship with each other and with the ship's combat system. and Washington D.C., as well as at the LCS sites. program in various sites throughout the country.