£30 million UK-New Zealand deal sends new uncrewed vehicles to Ukraine
Sam Vye, the CEO of SYOS Aerospace, which supplied the vehicles, explained the rapid development and deployment of assets in the uncrewed world.
Aerial view of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. (Photo: USN/Mass Communication 2nd Class Ernest Scott)
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has selected multiple shipyards in the US to conduct complex repair, maintenance and modernisation work on various USN ship classes homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.
‘These efforts consist of Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking and non-docking, continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance availabilities of surface combatant class ships,’ the DoD announced on 6 January.
One multiple-award IDIQ contract worth up to $639.8 million will see BAE Systems, General Dynamics NASSCO and four other independent shipyards compete for work on Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers at Norfolk.
Another multiple-award IDIQ contract for the same companies, with a maximum value of $337.61 million, covers Norfolk-homeported amphibious assault vessels (America class and Wasp class), San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks and Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships.
Each contract has an estimated ordering period of five years.
Sam Vye, the CEO of SYOS Aerospace, which supplied the vehicles, explained the rapid development and deployment of assets in the uncrewed world.
The SUUVs could be part of a programme that scales to 200 vehicles.
The programme was due to be at full operational capability in the US Navy by 2031, but has been pulled over cost and timeline concerns.
The ship is the third in a fleet of 11, with the first vessel due to be delivered in 2026.
The companies have banded together to promote the Fincantieri U212 NFS offering, and hinted that the collaboration may not be a one-bid phenomenon.
The frigate, Spartaco Schergat, is equipped for a broad range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare.