Textron Wins $13M Unmanned Influence Sweep System Contract Our Bureau 971
Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) @Textron
The U.S. Navy awarded Textron Systems $13 million to exercise an option for an additional low rate initial production (LRIP) unit for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) unmanned surface vehicle (USV) program.
UISS is based on Textron’s Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV), a multi-mission surface vehicle designed to operate as a mine countermeasure (MCM), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform among others.
CUSV specificaions @Textron
The system is designed to operate as part of the littoral combat ship (LCS) MCM package. It consists of a mine countermeasure USV and a towed minesweeping package that can detect magnetic, acoustic and combination mines. Although being designed for the LCS the systems can operate from other vessels or be launched from the shore.
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The threat from mines only appears to be getting worse in the future.
Here’s What You Need to Remember: Despite the threat, the Navy is currently unwilling to invest in modern minesweepers.
Hypersonic missiles and fast attack boats may dominate the headlines as the primary threats to the U.S. Navy, but the naval mine remains one of the deadliest threats to the modern warship. Mine technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with advances in networking and sensing allowing mines to become more lethal.
With recent tensions stepping up with Iran, the need for effective minesweepers is rapidly rising. But a recent report by ProPublica suggests that the American minesweeper fleet is hardly ready to be deployed, and the replacement ships are some ways off.