Textron Systems wins Navy USV contract

Textron Systems Corp., Providence, R.I., announced Thursday it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to produce and deliver multiple uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in support of a U.S. Navy Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) exercise in Key West, Fla.

Under the contract, the defense contractor will supply its long-dwell Tsunami interceptor USVs along with Field Service Representatives to the FLEX exercise. The vessels will be used to demonstrate cooperative intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR-T) capabilities alongside Textron's Aerosonde 4.7 VTOL unmanned aerial system, operating off a Littoral Combat Ship. The exercise will also test manned-unmanned surface warfare using Invariant Corporation's Surface-to-Air Kinetic Engagement (STAKE) system. Following the Key West exercise, the contract calls for three months of joint operations with U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. Navy Fourth Fleet.

The FLEX program is a Navy initiative designed to accelerate the integration of unmanned systems into fleet operations, providing a structured environment for testing emerging autonomous maritime technologies in real-world operational contexts.

The Tsunami family of autonomous surface vessels, available in lengths from 21'4" to 38', is built on hulls supplied by Brunswick Corp., Mettawa, Ill., and governed by Textron's own CUSV — Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle — autonomy control system. Textron says the platform is designed to be scalable and multi-mission capable, supporting both government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) and contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) service models.

"The TSUNAMI family of vehicles leverage Textron Systems' decades of expertise in autonomous systems innovation, coupled with the speed and scalability of Brunswick Corporation's established and globally sustainable production line of vessels," said Ryan Schaffernocker, senior vice president of air, land, and sea systems at Textron. "This award establishes a partnership foundation for TSUNAMI USV government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) and contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) services, allowing for rapid deployment with a lower cost of ownership for the Navy."

The Defense Department's DIU, also known as Unit X, was established in 2015 to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology for national security applications.

The Fourth Fleet is responsible for U.S. naval forces operating in the Caribbean, Central, and South American regions, making it a natural partner for SOUTHCOM-aligned unmanned systems experimentation.