As part of the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) competition, Lockheed Martin will provide a study for a proven, integrated and capable payload ship that can patrol for extended durations.

Lockheed Martin is partnering with Vigor Works LLC as the team’s shipbuilder. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor, so it will manage the program, deliver platform integration, systems engineering, combat management, automation and cyber solutions.

“The Lockheed Martin team brings together nearly 200 years of combined experience in shipbuilding, integration, automation and autonomy,” says Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of Small Combatants and Ship Systems.

“Our team is energized by and focused on delivering the Navy what they’ve asked for – a design for an affordable, low-risk ship capable of bringing the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) vision to life.”

Lockheed Martin notes that its team’s design uses a proven commercial ship that will be equipped with automation, autonomy and cybersecurity elements to house a payload.

The design utilizes Lockheed Martin’s autonomy and automation experience, including the company’s platform-agnostic Sikorsky MATRIX technology that’s been used to fly a helicopter from a wireless tablet, and its AXIS control technology, which has been used on more than half of U.S. Navy surface ships to manage engineering and machinery controls.

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

“We are honored to be part of the Lockheed Martin team and to leverage our extensive fabrication expertise, including previously building 16 USVs of various designs and sizes,” says Richard McCreary, Vigor vice president, business development.

“We are ready to deliver a concept design that will help the Navy deploy a safe, efficient and affordable LUSV fleet for the future.”