Fairbanks Morse Defense to provide FM OnBoard for US Navy

Arcline Investment Management’s portfolio company Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) has recently received a contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command, the largest of the US Navy’s five commands, for deployment of FM OnBoard technology on naval ships.

The company claimed that this contract validates FM OnBoard’s mission readiness by deploying its anomaly detection system for the Fairbanks Morse Defense engine.

This system will operate simultaneously with endurance testing of the engine EFI retrofit.

FMD CEO George Whittier said: “Through our commitment to equipping the US fleet with the latest in technological innovation and strategic solutions, like our FM OnBoard remote collaboration and asset monitoring tool, Fairbanks Morse Defense is revolutionising technology solutions for maritime defences.

“Technicians can instantly leverage remote expertise from anywhere in the world, which reduces costs and ensures that crews are always mission ready.”

FM OnBoard provides tools that are hands-free and intuitive, and technical instructions in an augmented workforce environment to boost operational readiness, enhance first-time fix rates and cut down the time to repair, and help leverage the capabilities of personnel for training and technical support across the globe.

This technology’s remote video collaboration enables users onsite to directly engage with an offsite FMD service advisor, and leverage party-to-party video conferencing viewed via mixed reality headsets.

By leveraging a digital twin that emulates the existing state of an asset in real time, technicians will be able to interact and track local assets and identify anomalies.

FM OnBoard is one of the solutions of FMD’s Technology Center of Excellence, which brings together all of FMD’s emerging technologies into one platform, including artificial intelligence (AI), digital defenses, SMART engineering solutions, and uncrewed mission management.

Over the last two years, FMD has invested on acquisition of companies and expansion of its capabilities to provide products and services for the complete vessel.

For over a century, FMD has been a supplier of a host of marine technologies, OEM parts, and turnkey services to the US Navy, US Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and Canadian Coast Guard.