Textron Systems Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide software support activity (SSA) and payload integration services to support the US Navy’s mine countermeasures (MCM) unmanned surface vehicle (USV).
As disclosed, under the contract, valued up to $100 million, the company will provide software development updates, as well as payload integration, testing, and demonstrations on potential future MCM mission packages.
These include the magnetic and acoustic generation next unmanned superconducting sweep (MAGNUSS) system and mine neutralization payloads, as well as non-MCM packages including various surface warfare (SuW), anti-submarine (ASW), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and other capabilities.
Earlier on, Textron Systems was awarded the unmanned influence sweep system (UISS) contract in 2014 to design and develop the MCM mission package which includes craft, mine sweep and mine hunt systems.
“Our expertise lies in knowing how to design, integrate, field and support uncrewed systems,” said David Phillips , Senior Vice President, Air, Land and Sea Systems.
“Supporting the software development of MCM USV craft allows us to apply that expertise to further the Navy’s missions.”
Textron is the originator of the CUSV craft – the common uncrewed surface vehicle – which was successfully adapted to become the Navy’s first USV program of record.
In January this year, the firm unveiled a new family of autonomous maritime surface vessels, the TSUNAMI.