Navy moving ahead with SUUV contract

The Navy's Lionfish Small Unmanned Undersea Vehicle program is gearing up for a production contract after completing the prototype effort, according to a service notice.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Unmanned Systems will fulfill the requirement for the procurement, according to the notice released on Friday.

“HII UxS successfully completed the Lionfish SUUV prototype effort previously awarded under Defense Innovation Unit’s Other Transactional authority utilizing a competitive Commercial Solutions Opening,” the notice states.

While the Navy didn’t specify how many SUUVs would be procured, Naval Sea Systems Command requires the procurement of “multiple production lots” of Lionfish, support equipment, production hardware spares and engineering support services, according to the notice.

Lionfish will replace the Mk 18 MOD-1 and Viperfish, a medium UUV program, will replace the Mk 18 MOD-2.

In November, Vice Adm. William Houston, commander of Naval Submarine Forces, told Inside Defense that he envisions numerous small and medium UUVs in the submarine force because the systems can be carried internally.