Naval Sea Systems Command expects to release a final solicitation for conceptual designs of a large unmanned surface vessel for the U.S. Navy during the fourth quarter of the government’s 2019 fiscal year.
The military service wants a high-endurance and reconfigurable LUSV platform to complement the branch’s manned surface combatants and accommodate multiple payloads that can support unmanned missions, NAVSEA said Aug. 9 in a FedBizOpps presolicitation notice.
LUSV will be designed to perform warfare missions via a remote control or an autonomous technology. USNI News reported Wednesday the service branch asked Congress for a $400M budget to fund FY 2020 research and development of two LUSVs.
Each vessel will measure 200 feet to 300 feet and weigh approximately 2,000 tons.
