USV specialist BlackSea Technologies played host to the U.S. Navy’s Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jim Kilby at its Baltimore headquarters.
The firm manufactures the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) uncrewed surface vessel (USV) at the facility; during his visit last week Adm. Kilby toured the GARC factory and watched a live demonstration of the drone boats out on the water.
The GARC USV is already in use with the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadrons 3 and 7; the drone has recently been used operationally in exercises including Operation Southern Spear and BALTOPS 25.
Southern Spear, held in January off Florida, was conducted to help determine the most effective combinations of unmanned vehicles and manned forces needed to provide coordinated maritime domain awareness and conduct counternarcotics operations.
BALTOPS 25, which ran across three weeks earlier this month, was the latest iteration of the leading annual maritime-focused military exercise staged in and around the Baltic Sea, this year involving 16 NATO allies, more than 40 ships, 25 aircraft and approximately 9,000 personnel.
During Adm. Kilby’s visit he was able to see first-hand how BlackSea supports the U.S. Navy’s Small Unmanned Surface Vehicles (sUSV) program and how it plans to continue to expand its capabilities to support fleet operations.
He commented: “These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness.”
He continued: “We see unmanned systems as a force multiplier for traditional vessels, not a replacement.”
And BlackSea spokesman Alan Gilbert noted: “The GARC represents an important piece of the Navy’s USV programme.
“BlackSea has and will continue to deliver hundreds of GARCs to the Navy — with high-rate production, at scale, on schedule, and on budget. A GARC a day rolls off the production line, ready for handoff to the Navy. ”
- You can read more details on the U.S. Navy website and the BlackSea Technologies website
