U.S. Navy Selects Lockheed Martin To Deliver Large Unmanned Surface Vessel Study.

Lockheed Martin will provide a study for a proven, integrated and capable payload ship, able to patrol for extended durations, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) competition. Lockheed Martin is partnering with Portland-based Vigor Works, LLC as the team’s shipbuilder. As prime contractor, Lockheed Martin will manage the program, deliver platform integration, systems engineering, combat management, automation and cyber solutions.
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Illustration picture of LUSV. (Picture source: US Navy)

The Lockheed Martin team’s design uses a proven commercial ship that will be augmented with automation, autonomy and cybersecurity elements to house a payload. The design leverages Lockheed Martin’s autonomy and automation experience, including our proven platform-agnostic Sikorsky MATRIX™ technology that’s been used to fly a helicopter from a wireless tablet, and our AXIS™ control technology, used on more than half of U.S. Navy surface ships to manage engineering and machinery controls.

Under the $7 million contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver the study within 12 months in advance of the next phase of the competition – the Navy’s LUSV Detailed Design & Construction competition.

The Navy’s vision for USVs will enable the fleet to fight as a distributed, networked and more lethal force. USVs will provide extended presence across the globe with reduced risk to sailors and increased obstacles and complications for adversaries.

Silhouette of LUSV. (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)

U.S. Navy LUSV Program:

The LUSV program supports the Navy’s Future Surface Combatant Force architecture through the development and fielding of low-cost, high-endurance, unmanned vehicles that complement manned surface combatants.

The LUSV will be a high-endurance, reconfigurable ship able to accommodate various payloads for unmanned missions to augment the Navy’s manned surface force. With a large payload capacity, the LUSV will be designed to conduct a variety of warfare operations independently or in conjunction with manned surface combatants.

The LUSV will be capable of semi-autonomous or fully autonomous operation, with operators in-the-loop (controlling remotely) or on-the-loop (enabled through autonomy). All weapons employment will be commanded remotely by manned warships or control stations.