General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) said Friday the Office of Naval Research has tapped the company to integrate a motor and energy storage system for the service’s future Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV).
Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS, said over the last two years the company has conducted lab testing for the motor design and completed underwater testing for the power system proposed for LDUUV.
“Our energy and battery systems have been successfully demonstrated and proven safe for use on a variety of underwater manned and unmanned vehicles,” Forney said in a statement. “Both systems have performed successfully, demonstrating capabilities to both power and propel underwater vehicles. Together, the systems are proving to be key technologies to provide the combined power, energy density, and improved vehicle performance necessary to help meet the objectives.”
The Navy released a request for proposals in late December for the future Snakehead LDUUV, detailing plans to competitively award a contract to a single contractor to build two prototype vehicles (Defense Daily, Jan. 4).
The Snakehead is an accelerated acquisition program that aims to field a long-endurance multi-mission UUV able to be deployed from ports as well as platforms like Virginia-class attack submarines and Littoral Combat Ships.
The Navy expects it to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as anti-submarine capabilities.
GA-EMS said development of both the motor and next-generation power system for LDUUV will continue to further optimize performance, with plans to integrate the two capabilities on an LDUUV for at-sea testing at a later stage in the prototype program.