LOCKPORT, La. — The U.S. Navy has awarded Bollinger Shipyards a contract to engineer and build an unmanned surface vessel capable of mine sweeping and mine hunting missions. The initial contract is for three vessels with options for up to 27 more. Bollinger is a privately held designer and builder of military and commercial vessels.
“Bollinger is honored to be entrusted by the U.S. Navy to engineer and build the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle program,” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger president and CEO, in a press release. “Bollinger’s skilled workforce is second to none and will work to build and deliver this advanced capability to our nation’s fleet using the highest levels of craftsmanship and quality that we have come to be known for. We are proud to partner with Huntington Ingalls Industries Unmanned Systems and Raytheon Technologies to build a state-of-the-art, multi-mission unmanned surface vehicle capable of both hunting and sweeping naval mines to support and protect the men and women of the U.S. Navy and our allies around the world.”
Bollinger said that naval mines present a significant threat to U.S. naval operations and to U.S. and allied shipping in coastal waters, continental shelf waters, port approaches and straits. The MCM USV program is designed to replace capabilities currently being undertaken by the soon-to-be retired MCM-1 class Mine Countermeasures Ships and MH-53E helicopters.
Huntington Ingalls Industries Unmanned Systems has over 20 years of experience developing and delivering intelligent, autonomous behaviors in undersea, surface and land environments. Raytheon Technologies brings decades of shipboard integration expertise and experience to the MCM USV program as the current Mission Systems Integrator and Cybersecurity provider.
“HII is excited to partner with Bollinger on this critical defense program,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of the Unmanned Systems business group at HII’s Mission Technologies division. “Our Odyssey suite of advanced autonomy solutions ties together vessel control, payload management, and navigation with advanced AI/ML algorithms to support complex and dangerous missions such as mine countermeasures, reducing risk to the warfighter with unmanned technology.”
“With our long history in mine warfare and over a decade of LCS integration experience, Raytheon is ready to support Bollinger Shipyards current and future programs aboard the MCM USV and into LCS ships,” said Kim Ernzen, president of Naval Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense.
