Anduril Industries, Kongsberg Discovery and Oceaneering International will prototype large displacement unmanned underwater vehicles, or LDUUVs, in support of the U.S. Navy’s future operations focused on subsea and seabed warfare as well as undersea warfare.
The three companies were awarded prototype agreements from the Defense Innovation Unit to help the Navy accelerate the development of long-range, autonomous underwater sensing and payload capabilities for use in deep and contested environments, DIU said Thursday.
Live demonstrations of the undersea vehicles are expected by March 2024.
The Navy’s Program Office for Advanced Undersea Systems, dubbed PMS 394, collaborates with DIU on identifying industry-made UUV platforms capable of supporting undersea warfare and ultimately advancing U.S. maritime defense capabilities.
“[Naval Sea Systems Command], in partnership with the DIU, has selected the best-in-breed from industry to rapidly advance new undersea capabilities in the Subsea and Seabed Warfare domain,” said Capt. Grady Hill, program manager for PMS 394. “We are accelerating our development plans by utilizing rapid contracting authorities to speed capability to the Fleet.”