Scott Nicholas
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity has released a research-and-development sources sought notice that seeks to obtain information from industry on potential support to help build an undersea drone.
IARPA says it unveiled the UnderWatch notice seeks information on design, development, test, and demonstration of autonomous underwater vehicles; as well as sensing systems for automated detection, classification and localization of maritime contacts.
The agency said it may use the information collected to form a qualified bidders list for the UnderWatch program that seeks to develop a new autonomous underwater vehicle-based maritime reconnaissance capacity that helps surveillance of vessel traffic in harbors, waterways and chokepoint.
UnderWatch will also feature an organic sensing function to give users waterway surveillance capacity and can be integrated on container ships, cruise ships, commercial fishing traffic, recreational vessels, go-fast boats and self-propelled semi-submersibles.
