A year on from the platform’s initial launch, British defence SME SubSea Craft has revealed an upgraded version of its MARS uncrewed surface vessel (USV), which is now entering production.
Upon launch in May last year the six-metre stealth drone vessel was said to be capable of speeds up to 30 knots, with a range in excess of 300 nautical miles.
Its modular cargo space could be customized with a variety of payloads including active/passive sensors, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, and loitering munitions, and used either integrated into CUC-T (crewed-uncrewed teaming) operations or deployed autonomously.
The new version reportedly includes enhanced ventilation for the USV’s propulsion systems and payload bay, with a view to supporting operations conducted in warm climates, including the Middle East.
As per a recent press statement about the “major evolution” of the USV, on the new version “multiple technologies are retained from the initial MARS variant, including the proven digital control system.”
It added: “The upgraded MARS is already in advanced testing and will be delivered in support of an existing customer contract.”
The company’s CEO Camilla Martin commented: “This release of MARS demonstrates our focus on delivering mature, operational capability.”
SubSea Craft also produces VICTA — a hybrid USV/UUV capable of high-speed surface transit and then moving into wet, subsurface mode for covert delivery of operators and/or equipment — and CADDIS, a subsurface-launched and controlled uncrewed aerial system (UAS) for surveillance missions.
- You can read more details on the SubSea Craft website