French maritime robotics company NXT LVL Naval has presented a concept for a 15-metre unmanned surface vehicle (USV) designed for ocean operations.
The USV is being developed to be able to conduct maritime monitoring and infrastructure protection as well as perform mine countermeasures, logistics and naval support.
Instead of having a fixed configuration, it would carry interchangeable mission equipment for seabed mapping, underwater surveillance, unmanned underwater vehicle launch and recovery and special operations support.
The project remains in concept development while partners are being selected, with no operational demonstrator or production contract confirmed.
Displacement, speed, endurance, payload capacity and propulsion equipment have not been disclosed.
The company said the USV will be capable of independent operation though it will remain under human command and control. Under a proposed coordination architecture, communications and electrical systems would be managed alongside sensors, propulsion and navigation, under human supervision.
The architecture’s development objectives include maintaining navigation when GNSS is disrupted and communicating without satellite links.
The craft will also feature a redundant energy and propulsion arrangement that would ensure extended endurance.