GD to Build 'Sea Robots'

General Dynamics Corp. (GD) won a $8.5 million contract to build two sea robots for the U.S. Navy. The unmanned surface vehicles will be part of an antisubmarine warfare package for the Littoral Combat Ship, a new U.S. Navy vessel designed to chase down enemy forces in coastal waters. General Dynamics is building some of the new vessels alongside a competing design built by Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT).

The sea robots will carry a variety of sensors and will have the ability to operate autonomously. These sensors include sonar, listening devices and towed arrays of information collectors, the company said in a press release. General Dynamics said its contract covers up to four of the robots. If all options are exercised, the deal could be worth $11.3 million.