US DIU issues UUV solicitation

At almost the same time that it issued the AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge, which focusses on undersea communications, the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has issued a formal solicitation to industry for what it terms a CAMP, or Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform.

To maximize operational effectiveness in contested environments, the United States military requires enhanced capabilities for deploying large payloads across extended ranges. Current UUV capabilities, says the DIU, present limitations in range and payload capacity, hindering the effective deployment of critical resources in certain operational scenarios.

The DoD seeks commercially available, demonstration-ready uncrewed systems that address these limitations, offering a scalable and cost-effective solution for long-range, high-capacity payload deployment.

Desired mission sets include, but are not limited to: Emplacement of various sized payloads; Bathymetric surveys and mapping; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR); Communications across the air/water interface (acoustic and Radio Frequency); and Ability to operate in a GPS-denied environment

A candidate platform should have some or all of the following characteristics: Exceptional range, capable of transits greater than 1,000nm; Capable of performing deeper than 200m underwater; Modular payload capacity with ability to drop various payloads to the seafloor; Payload sizes include but are not limited to: 5ft long, 19 inches in diameter or 21ft in length and 21 inches in diameter; Autonomous operation including navigation, guidance, and obstacle/collision avoidance (including during emergence and at surface), as well as remote operation; Capability for RF communications, and the capability for capability or the ability to demonstrate a pathway for undersea communications; Modularity, including the ability to switch from different payloads and mission sets; Hardware and software architecture with open interfaces, with a demonstrable pathway to integrate with various third party payloads; Demonstrable pathway to integrate with third party control systems, including but not limited to government furnished common control system (CCS).

The system also need to demonstrate the ability to be Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA) compliant and the ability to “prevent, mitigate, and recover from the effects of tampering or cyber events to achieve an Authorization To Operate in alignment with applicable Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) recommendations for minimum standards for unmanned National Security Systems (NSS).

And the system needs to be transportable, deployable and recoverable with commonly available equipment, minimise both duration on the surface and its signature, and able

Phase 2 is expected to begin approximately 4 weeks after the closing date of this Area of Interest solicitation.

Vendors may submit partial solutions, however the US Government strongly encourages teaming for responses to this Area of Interest if vendors are unable to propose complete solutions. Indeed, as part of the selection process, the Government may seek to team companies with complementary solutions.

There is no maximum operating depth, the DIU points out: It wants the solution to operate deep enough to avoid detection/interdiction so 200m is the minimum. And it adds, “this solicitation is seeking vehicles and/or associated supporting systems, not payloads”.