Navy Taps 6 Companies for LUSV Studies

A Ghost Fleet Overlord test vessel sits pier-side following a capstone demonstration during the conclusion of Phase I of the program in September. Two existing commercial fast supply vessels were converted into unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for Overlord testing, which will play a vital role in informing the Navy’s new classes of USVs. U.S. Navy

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has selected six shipbuilders or naval architect companies for design studies for the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) program, according to a Defense Department (DoD) announcement.

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a total of $42 million in contracts to Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi; Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Maryland; Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, Lockport, Louisiana; Marinette Marine Corp., Marinette, Wisconsin; Gibbs & Cox Inc., Arlington, Virginia; and Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama.

Each contract is valued at approximately $7 million.

The LUSV is to be the largest unmanned vessel in the Navy’s planned family of USVs. It is expected to be armed with vertical launch cells with surface-to-air missiles as well as sensors.

Capt. Pete Small, speaking Sept. 8 at the Defense-Protection-Security webinar sponsored by the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said the Navy is focused on making the LUSV an “affordable, capable, reliable platform.”

“Each contract includes an option for engineering support, that if exercised, would bring the cumulative value for all awards to $59,476,146,” the DoD announcement said. “Work will be performed in various locations in the contiguous U.S. in accordance with each contract and is expected to be complete by August 2021 and if option(s) are exercised, work is expected to be complete by May 2022.”