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The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched the USX-1 Defiant demonstrator vessel under the No Manning Required Ship program.
The 180-foot long, 240-metric tonne prototype vessel was launched during a ceremony at Everett Ship Repair in Everett, Washington, on 11 August and will now conduct an at-sea demonstration across multiple months.
“Defiant class vessels provide cost-effective, survivable, manufacturable, maintainable, long-range, autonomous and distributed platforms, which will create future naval lethality, sensing and logistics,” DARPA director Stephen Winchell said.
“Defiant will protect and expand the capabilities of manned ships, multiply combat power at low cost and unlock new American maritime industrial capacity.”
The USX-1 Defiant is expected to be a departure from traditional ship design with no provision or expectation for human crew. It is expected to test size, cost, speed of production, at-sea reliability, hydrodynamic efficiency and survivability of unmanned surface vessels.
“The launch of the USX-1 Defiant is a landmark achievement in naval innovation and a testament to Serco’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of autonomous maritime capability,” said Peter Behrendt, Serco Asia-Pacific managing director, Defence.
“While this vessel was developed for the US Navy, the technologies and design principles behind it have global relevance, including here in Australia and New Zealand, where our Defence Forces are actively exploring the future of autonomous systems and resilient maritime operations.
“Serco is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, supporting our partners with cutting-edge solutions that enhance operational effectiveness and protect lives.”
After completing the at-sea demonstration, Defiant will be turned over to the US Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office. DARPA is working closely with the Navy to identify a pathway to ensure capabilities and technologies demonstrated throughout the NOMARS program are accessible for rapid transition and integration, are scalable and support international defence partnerships.
“Defiant is a tough little ship and defies the idea that we cannot make a ship that can operate in the challenging environment of the open ocean without people to operate her,” said NOMARS program manager Greg Avicola during the ceremony.
“While relatively small, Defiant is designed for extended voyages in the open ocean, can handle operations in sea state five with no degradation and survive much higher seas, continuing operations once the storm passes.
“She’s no wider than she must be to fit the largest piece of hardware and we have no human passageways to worry about.”
In the reconciliation bill, which passed in July of this year, Congress appropriated $2.1 billion “for development, procurement and integration of purpose-built medium unmanned surface vessels”.
Upon transition to PMS 406, Defiant will be the Navy’s first solely autonomous (versus hybrid manned-unmanned) MUSV.
“Defiant marks a first in naval ship design and ushers in an exciting new stage for the NOMARS program and the US Navy,” Serco Group chief executive Anthony Kirby said.
“We are incredibly proud to have played our part in developing genuinely groundbreaking new capabilities for the Navy in vessel autonomy and at-sea refuelling.
“This watershed is the first time a ship has been designed entirely without human crew members in mind, a significant step towards the US Navy’s ambition of a fleet of USVs capable of operating in contested waters and other dangerous environments without putting the lives of human sailors at risk.
“With increasing geopolitical tensions driving defence spending across the globe, Serco stands ready to support navies and militaries as they expand their capabilities while safeguarding the security of citizens.”
