Textron Eyes Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle for Marines’ Logistics Drone Program; Wayne Prender Quoted

Textron Systems believes the common unmanned surface vehicle could help meet the need of the U.S. Marine Corps for a long-range unmanned surface vessel designed to resupply troops deployed in the Pacific, Defense News reported Wednesday.

Wayne Prender, senior vice president of applied technologies and advanced programs at Textron Systems, said CSUV is set to transition this year to low-rate initial production phase.

“CUSV is payload agnostic, and it has sizable payload [space, weight, power and cooling],” Prender said. “We have the endurance in terms of data link and fuel to navigate and travel. By nature, the mine countermeasures platform is designed to operate in the littorals, in shallow water, [making] it a natural fit.”

He noted that CSUV could operate as a logistics drone and carry weapons. “It could come off a vessel of opportunity, or an [amphibious warship with] a well deck, or an LCS with whatever package you would need.”