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World
Navy Force News - USA |
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Florida and Lockheed Martin Collaborate for Marlin autonomous underwater
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Space
Florida and Lockheed Martin have signed an agreement to advance the
testing and production of a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)
known as Marlin™ in support of aerospace economic development
in the state of Florida. Lockheed Martin will outfit the Marlin systems
with sophisticated sensors and imaging equipment to conduct commercial
underwater inspections. The systems are well suited for use in the oil
and gas industry as a safe and cost-effective way to inspect underwater
infrastructure and pipelines, especially after severe weather such as
hurricanes.
Space Florida is investing in Lockheed Martin’s technology to
allow for further refinement and marketing of the AUV prior to commercial
production.
The Marlins will be built at Lockheed Martin’s Palm Beach
facility, and will be tested and demonstrated in open waters off Florida’s
Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
“This type of unique AUV technology allows oil and gas inspection
and also helps to further develop domestic energy supplies,” noted
Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll. “These types of technologies
that also have significant applications in the aerospace industry will
help to maintain Florida’s high-tech leadership. This agreement
is expected to create approximately 50 high-tech jobs over five years.”
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Space Florida
President Frank DiBello; Business Development Board of Palm Beach County
CEO Kelly Smallridge; Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll; and Richard
Holmberg, vice president at Lockheed Martin stand in front of Lockheed
Martin’s autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) known as Marlin at
an event at the Riviera Beach, Fla facility.
(picture: Lockheed Martin)
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{youtube}T18QKp7tMAo{/youtube}
MARLIN class of AUV
(video: Lockheed Martin)
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“Lockheed Martin is committed to providing
high technology jobs in Palm Beach that help promote Florida as a place
to foster innovation,” said Richard Holmberg, vice president of
mission and unmanned systems at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems
& Sensors business. “Our partnership with Space Florida for
the Marlin AUV will help support these job opportunities.”
“These AUVs have multiple commercial and civil applications in
areas such as infrastructure inspection,” noted Space Florida
President Frank DiBello. “This investment fits well with Space
Florida’s strategy of leveraging aerospace-related technology
in growing the industry three-fold in Florida by 2020; additionally,
this project utilizes the financing capabilities that the Florida Legislature
gave Space Florida to help strengthen the state’s position as
a global leader in aerospace research.”
“It is exciting that the AUV is being developed here locally,”
noted Business Development Board of Palm Beach County CEO Kelly Smallridge.
“We are pleased to see the ongoing growth and development of the
Aerospace Cluster in Palm Beach County. With the strong engineering
talent base in Palm Beach County, we continue to see new and innovative
projects and partnerships emerge.”
Space Florida’s purchase of the Lockheed Martin AUV prototypes
was financed through a mixture of Space Florida equity and third-party
financing through Bank of America.
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