U.S. boatbuilder Ghostworks Marine has unveiled a new remote-pilot autonomy system it has developed with partners to convert its craft for a range of uncrewed missions.
The Michigan-based shipyard and marine engineering company has just launched the Multirole Remote Logistics Node (MRLN), which it has devised alongside General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GAASI) and Mercury Marine.
MRLN can be installed on its vessels, including its Minerva and Powercat platforms, so it can be used for persistent surveillance; littoral resupply; mine countermeasures; communications relay; and logistics combat support.
Ghostworks has supplied the vessels, GA-ASI has contributed the sensors and autonomy stack, and Mercury Marine has delivered the fly-by-wire propulsion system for the new MRLN system.
The first vessel to be equipped with MRLN is Ghostworks’ M40 Minerva, a 40-foot, carbon-fibre M-Hull boat which can operate crewed, remotely piloted, or autonomously.
The platform has a maximum payload capacity of almost 8 tonnes, can cruise at 30 knots, nad has a range of up to 700 miles in conditions up to Sea State 4, where waves can reach up to 2.5 metres.
The human-in-the-loop system means when operating as a USV, the operator retains situational awareness while it runs autonomously, and can take over control at any time.
Ghostworks CEO Brooke Kerschbaumer commented: “For decades, naval planners have had to accept that speed, range, and payload pull against each other. Optimize for one and you sacrifice the others.
“Our vessels… break that constraint. MRLN gives operators human-in-the-loop command and control over that trade-off space, mission to mission, without changing platforms.”
Vice president of GA-ASI’s Agile Mission Systems Jeff Hettick said: “Leveraging our development of world-leading autonomy for air-vehicles into the maritime domain is a natural progression. This partnership really highlights how bringing together the best in the defence industry can yield exciting new capabilities for our warfighters.”
And Mercury Marine’s Director of Government & Advanced Maritime Systems Carl Greiner added: “Our role was to prove that MRLN could meet the control and reliability demands of sustained surface operations. This integration expands what’s achievable in a remote-piloted maritime system.”
- You can read more details on the Ghostworks website