VESSEL REVIEW | X107T – ThayerMahan USV for maritime domain awareness missions

UK-based Sea-Kit International, a company specialising in designing and building uncrewed vessels, has delivered an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to Connecticut-based autonomous maritime solutions provider ThayerMahan.

Named X107T, the craft provides a versatile, robust platform for naval defence and maritime security operations. A large payload capacity, long range, and extended endurance capabilities enable the USV to undertake missions in a standalone capacity or as part of a larger group of crewed or uncrewed vessels as a force multiplier.

The USV has all-aluminium construction, a length of 38.5 feet (11.75 metres), a beam of 7.21 feet (2.2 metres), an operational draught of 2.36 feet (0.72 metre), a maximum displacement of 12.3 tons (11.2 tonnes), and a payload capacity of 2.2 tons (two tonnes). Two 10kW electric directional thrusters and a 12kW azimuthing pod thruster propel the craft to a top speed of six knots while a loiter speed of three knots will yield a range of 2,500 nautical miles or a maximum endurance of 95 days subject to operational parameters. The maximum fuel capacity is set at 792 gallons (3,000 litres), though this can be augmented by add-on tanks with a total capacity of 404 gallons (1,533 litres) to deliver an extended range of 3,000 nautical miles.

Sea-Kit said the USV’s ability to launch and recover a variety of vehicles and payloads, such as smaller unmanned vehicles, means multiple tasks can be conducted without the need for additional personnel and at significantly reduced cost compared to crewed vessels. The craft is operated via a control and surveillance platform, which provides safe and secure remote manoeuvring from shore stations.

The communications suite includes VSat, Iridium Certus, and 4G, all of which allow the vessel to be operated globally. Also fitted are a Furuno radar and multiple internal and external HD cameras including a pan-tilt-zoom FLIR LR thermal imaging camera.

The USV boasts several enhancements and technology developments including a new winch system developed by Sea-Kit to integrate with the company’s proprietary virtual helm station. This will enable deployment of large, towed arrays and sensors down to 3,000 metres. The company has also further developed the virtual helm station, enabling it to become a fully classed autopilot system whilst continuing to advance its situational awareness suite.

ThayerMahan plans to use the USV to support the introduction of unmanned vessel technology into government service, as well as for its own activities in the US and international waters. The craft is also capable of operating near silently for extended periods, making it suitable for military and security applications as well as for commercial use.

The USV’s design is patented and holds Lloyd’s Register’s Unmanned Marine Systems certification.

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