Navy asks industry for small UUV technology

The Navy is seeking more unmanned underwater vehicle technology, asking industry members to come forward with commercial-off-the-shelf products that could be included under a small UUV program of record.

The request for information, posted Monday, asks that industry members submit a description of their technology and the technical readiness level, adding that rapid fielding of the technology requires a TRL of seven as a minimum.

A small UUV is defined as less than 45 inches in length and less than 200 pounds. The Navy is aiming for industry options to include a UUV that can have at least an eight-hour endurance at three knots, is able to operate down to 300 meters in depth, and that has a modular open system architecture.

Additionally, the UUV should be capable of encrypted data storage, object detection, recognition, avoidance, and redirection, and equipped with navigation that utilizes global positioning and inertial navigation.

Responses to the RFI are due June 30.