Halter Marine, Gibbs and Cox team up for US Navy unmanned vessel programme

By Baird Maritime - December 28, 2020.

*Halter Marine's shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi (Photo: Halter Marine)*

Shipbuilder Halter Marine is teaming with Gibbs and Cox on the US Navy’s contract to perform design studies for the development of the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV).

The LUSV studies contract has an anticipated completion date of August 2021 with an option for additional studies, which would extend the forecasted completion date to May 2022. Halter Marine will provide shipbuilding expertise to complement the naval architecture and marine engineering of Gibbs and Cox.

The LUSV will be a high-endurance ship able to accommodate various payloads for unmanned missions to augment the navy’s manned surface force, according to the navy’s program summary. Plans call for a vessel about 60 to 90 metres long that can function either partially or completely autonomously.