Serco to support US Navy's unmanned maritime systems
Image courtesy Serco
Under this new programme, Serco Inc. will assist the US Navy with the development and testing of autonomous driving for unmanned surface vessels. The three-year contract has an estimated value of $68 million.
Under the contract, Serco will deliver services and products in support of autonomy and vessel control systems including systems integration, configuration management, and software development of autonomous systems. In addition, the Company shall provide services in support of testing and evaluation of unmanned maritime systems for future deployment into fleet operations.
“We are honoured to further our work supporting the US Navy in the autonomous and unmanned vessel space," said Tom Watson, Chief Executive Officer at Serco Inc. "These new ships will carry out important missions, improve operational efficiency and most notably protect the lives and safety of our sailors."
The NSWCCD's Naval Architecture and Engineering Department (Code 80) is the Navy's lead organisation for research, engineering and design of surface ships, submarines, combatant craft and unmanned systems. Code 80's mission is to provide the Navy with the world's best naval architecture and engineering capabilities. Serco plans to perform work in Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, with supplemental support provided in San Diego, California, Washington DC and Gulfport, Mississippi and surrounding Gulf Coast areas.
Serco provides similar support for unmanned systems to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO), Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport.
