TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Packages

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: To develop innovative weight reduction concepts with minimal cost impact that will contribute to an increase in Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) operational effectiveness.

DESCRIPTION: The Program Office for Unmanned Maritime Vehicle Systems is looking for cost-effective innovative concepts to reduce weight on Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). The starting weight of the USV limits its operational capability in terms of payload, range, endurance, and maneuverability. The Navy is currently developing or testing several USVs, including the Anti-Submarine Warfare USV, Mine Countermeasures USV, Unmanned Sea Surface Vehicle, Spartan, Autonomous Maritime Navigation USV, Seafox, and USVs based on the Navy�s standard 11m RHIB and the Naval Special Warfare�s 11m RHIB. The goal of this SBIR project is to identify and test out weight reduction opportunities on a general USV to increase mission endurance and range. The automobile analogy can be applied, whose components are made of composites and lighter weight metals today, versus the steel automobiles of old. The improved weight has led to dramatic increases in fuel efficiency and significant cost savings across all models of automobiles.

Ranges for the target USVs without fuel and payload are: length 30 to 40 ft; weight 16,000 to 18,000 lbs; maximum speed of 45 knots; maximum sea state 1 at 45 knots and 3 at 30 knots; powered by inboard motors. The goal is to reduce weight by 500 lbs or more through one "big" change or an accumulation of smaller ones. A 10% weight reduction can provide up to 4 hours of additional mission endurance, opening many new mission possibilities such as surveillance and reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. Examples of weight reduction concepts include: the use of composite materials versus heavy metals: packaging; and miniaturization. New hull forms are not being requested under this topic, nor are concepts that apply to components of removable sensor packages. Cost, manufacturability, sustainability, maintainability, and reliability will all be important consideration factors.

PHASE I: Develop one or more weight reduction concepts for a USV. Outline what will be re-designed, describe the planned redesign, and analyze its impact on the overall USV and operation of the redesigned system, subsystem, or component. Operational capability of the USV should not be negatively impacted. Describe the manufacturing process for the re-designed component(s) and the overall weight savings. Cost, manufacturability, sustainability, maintainability, and reliability factors should all be addressed.

PHASE II: The Navy will provide integration details of a selected USV platform to the SBIR contractor. The SBIR contractor is to manufacture two sets of the re-designed component(s) and test in a laboratory to ensure durability in a marine environment. The re-designed component(s) will be provided to the Navy, who will integrate, with this SBIR topic�s contractor support, the component(s) onto the Navy provided USV platform. The Navy, with this SBIR topic�s contractor support, will test the USV with the new component(s) in an actual sea environment, up to sea state 3.

PHASE III: Carry out full scale operational testing. Develop low rate production process. Transition weight reduction component into a USV program of record.

REFERENCES:
1. The Navy Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Master Plan: www.navy.mil/navydata/technology/usvmppr.pdf.

2. Anti-Submarine Warfare USV: www.gdrs.com/about/profile/pdfs/UDTPacific2006_4A3_.pdf.

3. Willard Marine 11m RHIB: www.willardmarine.com.

4. USMI 11m RHIB: www.usmi.com.

KEYWORDS: Unmanned Surface Vehicle, USV, weight reduction, fuel efficiency

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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