The US Navy is seeking maritime industry's input as it proposed a medium unmanned surface vehicle (MUSV). The objective of this input is to examine if the industry is able to provide a solution within a certain time frame at an affordable cost.
Namely, the US Navy is looking for information which will help in determining the interest, technical and manufacturing capabilities, technical quality of solutions, knowledge, experience level, and qualifications of industry to meet the US Government's needs to develop and build a MUSV.
The MUSV should be 12 meters to 50 meters long, while it should also include extended vessel range and cruising speed, as well as high reliability. The overall specific attributes of the vessel are the following:
- Endurance of 4,500 nm or more at 16 knots transit speed or higher; calculation should include maintaining a 10% fuel reserve;
- Sustained speed of 24 knots (Threshold) or more (27+ knots Objective) in calm water;
- Capable of using Naval Distillate Fuel NATO F-76 (Threshold; Objective is ability to use either F-76 or NATO F-44, also known as JP-5);
- Capable of remaining sufficiently stable to operate payloads in Sea State 4 (per NATO STANAG 4194) or higher;
- Capable of surviving in Sea State 5 (per NATO STANAG 4194) or higher;
- Capable of operating for 60 days (Threshold) or more (90 days Objective) without any manned maintenance, e.g. to shift lubricating oil or fuel oil strainers.
The US Navy also asked a set of questions for respondents, asking to determine what kind of ships could serve as a basis for the MUSV and what subsystems could meet the ship's requirements.
Finally, respondents should include a time line for designing the vessel, along with a time line for its fabrication and testing.
Source:safety4sea
