Overlord program officially transferred to Navy

The Defense Department's Strategic Capabilities Office has officially transferred the Ghost Fleet Overlord Program to the Navy's program executive office for unmanned and small combatants for continued experimentation and prototyping.

The objective of SCO’s Overlord program was to convert large, commercial vessels to autonomous systems, according to Thursday’s press release.

“The program’s objective was achieved through long-endurance transits and participation in fleet exercises. The fleet exercises demonstrated the feasibility of unmanned surface vessels. Specifically, the ability to host and employ modular payloads through a realistic set of concepts of operations,” the press release states.

SCO used Other Transaction Authority agreements with industry to mature autonomous technology, according to the Navy.

The first two Overlord vessels, Nomad and Ranger, were at sea in December prototyping USV kill chains as a part of Exercise Steel Knight, Adm. Roy Kitchener, commander of Naval Surface Forces, said in January.

“The advances achieved in autonomy, communications and payload integration by Nomad and Ranger are a catalyst for developing the Navy’s future USV programs of record, and in the acquisition of two additional Overlord USV prototypes for continued Navy experimentation and development,” the Navy states.

The Navy-led phase will include continued development and fleet experimentation, informing the service’s unmanned concept development and supporting the Unmanned Campaign Framework, the press release states.