Textron starts water tests of U.S. Navy’s Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle

Textron Systems Unmanned Systems announced on Wednesday that it began on-water testing for the fourth-generation Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) under the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) program.

The company said it completed the design, build and component test phases of the UISS program in November 2016.

Following component testing, Textron Systems began the systems level integration and test (I&T) phase, culminating in dockside and on-water testing in Lake Pontchartrain near its Marine & Land Systems facility in Louisiana.

The I&T phase includes functional testing of the system’s integrated generators, engines, datalinks, as well as on-water maneuverability testing.

The company further said it would move into builders’ trials upon completion of I&T and then formal testing to validate system functionality with the U.S. Navy later this year.

The Textron Systems Unmanned Systems fourth-generation CUSV is a multi-mission unmanned surface vehicle with a large, configurable payload bay.

“We are excited to begin system level testing of our first UISS system with mine countermeasure capabilities for the U.S. Navy,” said vice president of control and surface systems Wayne Prender. “Unmanned technology has come such a long way, and we are looking forward to beginning to apply our critical technology to protect our naval warfighters.”

Since its first demonstration in 2009, the CUSV has completed several exercises with the U.S. Navy. Today, the variations of the CUSV have amassed more than 2,000 on-water operational hours, and the craft is capable of carrying multiple payloads, including side-scan sonar, mine neutralization, nonlethal weapons, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors.