Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles

Abstract

The Snakehead Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (LDUUV) is the Navy's Large UUV effort as part of the Family of UUVs, in support of maintaining the Navy's undersea superiority. It is the Navy's largest Submarine-launched UUV, providing increased endurance, depth capability, and payload capacity beyond small and medium class submarine deployed UUVs. The Snakehead LDUUV will be modular in design and include high accuracy mission sensors and communications links, as well as modular payload capabilities. It is intended that modules will have well defined interfaces for the purposes of implementing cost-effective upgrades in future increments to leverage advances in technology. The Snakehead LDUUV program is a CNO/ASN(RDA) approved Accelerated Acquisition, featuring a phased approach to grow capabilities at a manageable level of risk. Phase 1 is a Government developed prototype with significant Industry involvement to develop Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures (TTPs), Concepts of Operation (CONOPS), and risk reductions for submarine integration. One Phase 1 vehicle, with sufficient test spares, will be fabricated for integration onto Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) equipped submarines with subsystem testing commencing in FY21 and vehicle in-water testing in FY22. Phase 2 is a competitive award to Industry, with increased capabilities and integration onto Modernized DDS, as well as potential integration onto surface ships. In order to support this accelerated transition to Industry, a Phase 1 Technical Data Package and a draft RFP were shared with Industry, culminating with a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) release in Q1FY21. An award to industry will occur in FY22 for a single vendor design with options to fabricate and test prototype vehicles followed by delivery to the Fleet for demonstration and fielding.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2022
Source ID
0604031N_4_1319_PB_2022
Change Summary Explanation
Program Changes: FY20: -$1,646K Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) FY21: -$15,565K Congressional Directed Reductions: Contract award early to need; -348K Undistributed reduction FY22: -$372K Rate/Misc adjustments Technical: Not applicable. Schedule: Not applicable.
Service Agency Name
Navy

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Command And Control
  • Contracts
  • Control Systems Engineering
  • Cost Analysis
  • Engineering
  • Governments
  • Guidance
  • Lessons Learned
  • Product Development
  • Program Management
  • Submarine Launched
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Underwater Vehicles
  • Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
  • Vehicles
  • Watercraft

Readers

  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy

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