Navy’s First Unmanned Surface Vessel Demonstrates Future of Homeland Protection
UISS PROGRAM BASED ON TEXTRON SYSTEMS’ COMMON UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLE (CUSV®) ACHIEVES MILESTONE Feb 26, 2019
Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) Program, which is based on its Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV), has achieved a Milestone C decision. The decision allows the program to enter low-rate initial production (LRIP), with the Navy planning to award three UISS systems to Textron Systems under their existing contract.
“The Textron and U.S. Navy teams have worked diligently to reach this Milestone C decision,” said Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President, Applied Technologies & Advanced Programs. “We recognize the time on the water and dedication of the testing teams which enabled us to enter this phase of the program.”
UISS is the Navy’s first unmanned surface vehicle (USV) program of record, designed for the demanding maritime environment. It provides unmanned mine counter measure and capabilities using interchangeable payloads and advanced sensors.
UISS completed Navy developmental test and operational assessment in November. The UISS is the first in the Navy’s USV portfolio to reach this milestone. UISS is part of a comprehensive Mine Counter Measure Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV) mission and is designed to be deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and vessels of opportunity.
Textron Systems is the prime contractor and system integrator for the UISS and MCM USV programs. The company designed CUSV as a multi-mission unmanned surface vehicle, capability of carrying multiple payloads including side-scan sonar, mine neutralization, non-lethal weapons, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors.
Production will be completed at Textron’s Hunt Valley, Md. and New Orleans locations.
FEATURES:
- High endurance
- Satellite communications capable
- Compliant with NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4586, Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) protocol and Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) communication architecture
PAYLOAD CAPABILITIES:
- Mine countermeasures (MCM) to sweep, hunt and neutralize threats
- Surface warfare
- Expeditionary warfare
- ISR packages
During Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2020, the CUSV was demonstrated during a force protection scenario at Naval Station Norfolk, Feb. 12.
The Navy-industry Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA team—comprised of Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NWCDD) and Textron Systems—is responsible for developing multi-mission payloads for the Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV).
Videographers: MC2 Grant Grady, MC3 Skyler Okerman, MC3 Rebekah Rinckey
Producer: Travis Kuykendall