Unmanned Vessels

IMPACT STUDY

Pioneer in USV Market
Small to Large USVs
R&D, New Built and Conversion

Updated: February 21, 2023

Overview

Swiftships pioneered in multiple disciplines helping the US Navy to speed-up development, testing and deployment of USVs into its fleet. It started investing in testing autonomous platforms before 2005, and its name became central to conversations around Unmanned Autonomous Vessels (UAV) since the US Navy’s 2018 selection of the Swiftships’ Riley Claire – a 175 feet Fast Supply Vessel (FSV) – for transformation into a Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV), named “Nomad”. Nomad became the first unmanned vessel of its kind added to Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One (USVDIV-1) and it has been thoroughly tested during autonomous missions.

Swiftships designs and constructs small to large autonomous military vessels, and offers commercial platform conversion to militarized unmanned/minimally manned vessels. It has developed many variants of our Fast Supply Vessels (FSVs), not only for full autonomy, but also for minimally manned or remote operations of the craft. Swiftships offers its clients a turnkey operating capability, including developing tailored conventional or autonomous platforms, with MRO and sustainment programs that will help navies modernize their ships while slashing costs.

Highlights

Scope

Swiftships scope of work includes development and RD&I for highly capable Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), and engineering, building and system integration services for small to large USVs. Swiftships also has proven platform conversion experience to militarized unmanned/minimally manned vessels and expertise and experience in autonomous systems integration for unmanned operations. Navy’s latest plan is to increase its fleet by about 150 unmanned surface and underwater vehicles by 2045. Swiftships has been working with US Navy (N95) divisions to improve its wide range and capability of commercial platforms to offer Multi-Missions USV (MM-USV) to fulfill fulfil the US and its Allied Forces responsibilities for a fraction of the cost of conventional naval ships. Swiftships SUSVs will also help the United States (US) Navy Fleet Forces Command (FFC) to meet its mission of achieving fully autonomous capability by 2025.

Approach

Highly Capable USVs for Military Operations

Bringing over 80 years experience in engineering and construction highly specialized military surface vessels, Swiftships is filling the gaps in the existing USVs market. Understanding military clients’ requirements, highly developed infrastructure and knowledgeable personnel, allow the company to adapt and innovate in the quickly evolving dynamics of the naval industry and its needs for autonomous capabilities.

Swiftships has outpaced its competitors by developing a fleet of small, medium, and large Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) that combine power, speed, stealth, mobility, ease of deployment, and mission readiness. Even without a sailor-in-the-loop (either onboard or remotely), these platforms are incredibly dependable, with integrated automation providing a sophisticated command and control system.

Platforms for Medium to Large USVs

Navy’s latest plan is to increase its fleet by about 150 unmanned surface and underwater vehicles by 2045. The acquisition strategy is based on building new design medium to large, unmanned vessels and converting already proven platforms to militarized unmanned/minimally manned vessels.

Swiftships’ Nomad became the first unmanned vessel of its kind added to Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One (USVDIV-1) and it has been thoroughly tested during autonomous missions.

Swiftships has developed many configurations for its FVS, not only for autonomy, but also for minimally manned or remote operations of the craft. When outfitted with missile defense, mission modules, UUV and UAV’s spoke or launching and retrieval capabilities, this relatively medium size vessels can accomplish many missions simultaneously, such as surface and underwater warfare. Militarized unmanned platforms can also serve as AAW/Strike Platforms and increase power of flag ship.

Swiftships has been working with US Navy (N95) divisions to improve its wide range and capability of commercial platforms to offer Multi-Missions USV (MM-USV) to fulfill fulfil the US and its Allied Forces responsibilities for a fraction of the cost of conventional naval ships. Swiftships’ platforms are highly adaptable, allowing clients to integrate sensors, weaponry, autonomy, and various other technologies aboard their boats at a lower price than other vendors.

Platform Conversion

Swiftships experience extends from ship exterior modifications to the most complicated machinery and electrical (HME) [components], electronics, communication and navigation (COM/NAV), weapons systems, and numerous system overhauls, servicing, and upgrades.

The proven case is a conversion of Swiftships’ FSV Riley Claire to militarized unmanned vessels Nomad, and it’s performance on autonomous missions. Nomad traveled from the Gulf Coast through the canal to the U.S. West Coast, a total of 4,421 nautical miles, with 98% of that distance in autonomous mode and the Panama Canal in manual mode. Nomad’s autonomous transit provided the opportunity to test vessel endurance, autonomous operations, and interoperability of government command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems. Nomad is part of Rim of the Pacific 2022, manned-unmanned teaming experimentation exercise.

Swiftships has developed multiple variants of our Fast Supply Vessels (FSVs), not only for autonomy, but also for minimally manned or remote operations of the craft. Swiftships’ USV conversion advantage is owed to adaptable existing designs and our superior skills to effectively leverage existing platforms, which are less utilized in their previous roles. Swiftships’ conversion methodology is threefold:

Phase I: perform hull, mechanical, navigational and electrical system reliability upgrades

Phase II: conduct autonomy system integration by equipping the hull with CW/KA Band Radars, IR and EO cameras and sensors, and additional sensors per mission requirement

Phase III: conduct tests of systems’ reliability with the required hours of autonomy, and several long-range autonomous transits in complex navigational environments

SUSVs Development

Swiftships’ in collaboration with University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) developed a partial manned remote-controlled system, aka Anaconda (AN-2), was the first step in developing an autonomous vessel in 2015. It was designed for brown water and near-coast missions with lethal capabilities while removing the threat of harming to the vessel’s crew during battle scenarios.

In 2022, Swiftships unveiled its 46’ Small Unmanned Surface Vehicle (SUSV), aka Challenger to support the growing needs of the defense industry. Challenger is a proven platform that has served in various military and commercial engagements for over 20 years. It can support human-crewed and unmanned operations complying with the protocol of the NATO Standardization Agreements (STANAG) 4586, Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS). The Challenger’s intelligence systems will enable mariners to work smarter and delegate routing efforts to advanced self-piloting technology. Multi-modal situational awareness aboard the ship allows for threat-based object recognition, while further tracking, high-speed data connectivity, and anti-collision capabilities will help the United States (US) Navy Fleet Forces Command (FFC) to meet its mission of achieving fully autonomous capability by 2025. The human presence will likely be widely maintained until the autonomous technologies are solidified in their reliability. Still, the Challenger is one of many ships helping pave the way for a more reliable, independent future.

Swiftships’ RAC is a USMC proven platform, built to operate in tropical regions with assured top performance in sustained ambient air temperatures over 100° Fahrenheit. The RAC is a revolutionary platform due to its extreme endurance, speed, minimal signature, ability to support manned/unmanned assets (+100-200 nodes via 5G.MIL® Lockheed’s Martin), and affordability. It’s a prototype that can be configured for unmanned operations.

Enabling Capabilities and Technology

Swiftships is a full-service solution provider of complex support systems utilizing laser cameras (EO/IR). These sophisticated sonar systems gauge sea states and detect obstacles in the water, maintain state-of-the-art weapons systems, oversee Integrated Bridge Solutions (IBS), and provide platform solutions, maintenance, and training to ensure successful interoperability. Swiftships’ dynamic multiplier platforms offer 4G/5G, line-of-sight, over-the-horizon, and satellite communication. The advanced sensors package allows for the instant capture and transfer of live information, creating a near-sentient computer system that reacts and makes highly accurate steering, accelerating, and high-speed maneuvering decisions while accounting for scenario situations like port security and mine countermeasure, surveillance, and more.

Our proven seamless autonomous systems integration: physical, electrical, and data interfaces between payloads and the platform, payload launch and recovery systems complimentary to USV capabilities and development. In addition, to the platform, Swiftships offers a full suite of services: cybersecurity, engineering, product support, and payload and weapons systems integration.

Autonomy Integration to Naval Platforms

Autonomous solutions are already highly used for intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance, mine counter measures, military training, and tests. We also see unmanned systems applied in maritime security, anti-submarine warfare, drug interdictions, launch, and recovery of host platforms. Advanced technologies allow numerous options for custom autonomous system integration to naval platforms.

Unmanned Vessels’ Life Cycle Sustainment

Any platform that is build is going to have a sustainment structure and maintenance requirements, and unmanned vessels will require experienced servicing. Swiftships offers a full range of reliable and cost-effective maintenance packages including planned or predictive, preventative, corrective and continuous maintenance. Our expertise encompasses all aspects, from the ship’s exterior upgrades to the most complex machinery and electrical (HME), electronics, communication and navigation (COM/NAV), weapons systems and other systems for overhauls, servicing, upgrades and repairs. Different packages offer multiple aspects of maritime care, based on the user’s needs.

Results

Vessels, ranging in size from a corvette to medium or small-sized craft, will, by 2025, define the modern fleet, and autonomy will be a key player. Recent advancements allow for leveraging naval platforms that are far less expensive to build, operate, and maintain. These advances, while helping nations project power, are also meeting critical humanitarian needs, allowing for lower casualty rates in terms of human life and a heightened level of security in naval infrastructures across the globe.

Swiftships is perfectly positioned to provide advanced Unmanned service vessels as modern naval warfare continues to evolve. It can offer its clients a turnkey operating capability, including developing tailored conventional or autonomous platforms, with MRO and sustainment programs that will help navies modernize their ships while slashing costs.

Swiftships provides its services to Navy including construction of prototypes and conversion of its proven platforms, offering its unique competitive advantage of over 100 proprietary designs with all test data and experienced in-house engineering team and Swiftships’ Nomad became the first unmanned vessel of its kind added to Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One (USVDIV-1) and it has been thoroughly tested during autonomous missions. Swiftships has also been working with US Navy (N95) divisions to improve its wide range and capability of commercial platforms to offer Multi-Missions USV (MM-USV).