Congressional appropriators are supporting the Navy's plans to buy two prototype unmanned surface vessels, but barred the service from initially pursuing conceptual designs that include a vertical launch system. Lawmakers also prohibited the Navy from awarding design contracts for the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel until the acquisition executive briefs them on "the updated acquisition strategy for unmanned surface vessels," according to an explanatory statement accompanying the conference version of the fiscal year 2020 defense spending bill. House and Senate negotiators...
