Blue Water Autonomy has introduced a multi-partner manufacturing model designed to scale the production of autonomous ships.
The Boston-based company said the system combines existing industrial capacity with software-enabled manufacturing to support the US Navy medium unmanned surface vessels programme, an initiative with funding exceeding $6 billion.
This project involves the construction of the Liberty Class, a 190-foot (57.9-metre) vessel currently being built at Conrad Shipyard.
Chief Executive Officer Rylan Hamilton stated, “Integrating proven marine systems with AI-driven manufacturing and operations to fundamentally rethink how ships are built.” He added that distributing work across partners creates a production system that meets the requirements of a modern maritime industrial base.
The framework uses a software execution system from Tulip and marine diesel engines provided by Caterpillar Defence. These components are integrated with containerised engine modules from Precise Power Systems and modular structural panel kits developed by Valstad.
Testing of the vessels is currently underway as the company executes an accelerated development programme, targeting a live autonomy demonstration for later this summer.
