Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) posted a video showing the features of its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel prototype under development.
The DARPA ACTUV program aims to develop an unmanned autonomous surface vessel with the ability to track a quiet diesel-electric submarine overtly for months over thousands of kilometers, with minimal human input. SAIC provided conceptual design services in phase one of the program, creating an innovative wave piercing trimaran solution. SAIC was awarded a contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design, build and test a new prototype unmanned autonomous surface vessel. The award, with a value of $58 million, was issued under the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme. The award will see SAIC provide a final design and production plan for the ACTUV prototype in phase two, construction of the prototype is scheduled to be completed in phase three, and government testing in phase four.
According to the company, SAIC will build on the phase one concept and design, build, and demonstrate an experimental vessel capable of independently deploying under sparse remote supervisory control, to achieve ‘a game-changing ASW operational capability, with the ultimate objective to facilitate rapid transition of that capability to the navy in response to critical operational demand’. [mappress] Naval Today Staff, February 1, 2013; Image: SAIC