The US Navy has deployed an uncrewed surface vessel alongside a carrier strike group for the first time, US officials revealed.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao disclosed the milestone on October 14 during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army's annual conference in Washington, D.C. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also attended the discussion.
“This is the first carrier strike group to ever deploy with a large-size unmanned surface vessel,” Cao said.
He described the deployment as a force multiplier, adding that the vessel could provide additional capabilities to naval forces.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group departed San Diego in late September for a deployment to the Middle East. Leidos had confirmed on September 8 that Seahawk was operating alongside the strike group, describing it as the first medium uncrewed surface vessel to deploy operationally with a carrier strike group.
According to Leidos, Seahawk supports autonomous navigation and perception, enabling it to operate with limited human intervention. Its collision-avoidance capabilities include compliance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and the ability to avoid hazards. The vessel can also automatically navigate around designated restricted areas, known as Keep Out Zones.
Seahawk can maintain control through alternative communications paths if its primary communications link becomes unavailable. It has also demonstrated GPS-denied navigation, following commanded waypoints without GPS before reintegrating GPS while remaining on track.
Leidos completed delivery of Seahawk to the US Navy in April 2021 under a contract awarded by the Office of Naval Research in December 2017. The contract was valued at approximately $35.5 million.
The vessel is a medium-displacement unmanned surface vessel (MDUSV) featuring a composite trimaran hull. Its fully loaded displacement is 145 long tons, including a fuel capacity of 14,000 gallons.
Designed for extended operations with limited human involvement, Seahawk incorporates mechanical and electrical systems intended to support operation over periods of months without a crew or routine maintenance.