Christine Thropp
Leidos has handed over to the U.S. Navy a medium-displacement unmanned surface vehicle built on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as part of an approximately $35.5 million contract the Office of Naval Research awarded in December 2017.
The company said Wednesday the Seahawk autonomous vessel is larger and has longer range and more seakeeping and payload capacity than the service branch's USVs.
"Every mechanical and electrical system on Seahawk has unique configurations designed to run for months at a time without maintenance or a crew," said Dan Brintzinghoffer, Vice President for Maritime Solutions at Leidos.
The team of Leidos and Navy equipped the vessel with payload mounting system, test operator control station and enhanced electrical systems based on the evaluation results of Sea Hunter, another MDUSV made by the company.
Seahawk also has twin diesel engines, a 14,000-gallon fuel capacity and a composite trimaran hull with a displacement of 145 long tons.
It is assigned to support the Surface Development Squadron 1 in San Diego, California.
If you're interested in the U.S. Navy then check out Potomac Officers Club's 2021 Navy Forum coming up on May 12. Leidos is also sponsoring the event. Click here to learn more.
