The Mission Specialist Defender system has a modular design for simple integration with quite a lot of instruments. | Supply: BlueHalo
BlueHalo LLC final week introduced that it has gained a contract value $30,735,784 to offer engineering and help companies for its Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response, or MESR, techniques.
The Naval Data Warfare Heart (NIWC) Pacific issued the five-year contract, which helps the U.S. Navy’s ongoing operations utilizing the Mission Specialist Defender remotely operated car (ROV).
The award follows the Navy’s $92.6 million MESR contract awarded to VideoRay in Could 2024. The corporate mentioned it reinforces its position in supporting the U.S. Navy with superior underwater robotic know-how for expeditionary missions, mine countermeasures, and underwater safety. BlueHalo purchased VideoRay in November.
“This follow-on contract highlights the U.S. Navy’s dedication to adapting and customizing our industrial off-the-shelf protection options to fulfill the evolving wants of its expeditionary forces,” acknowledged Jonathan Moneymaker, CEO of BlueHalo. “We’re honored to proceed our help in delivering cutting-edge, mission-critical ROVs that improve maritime safety, reconnaissance, and response capabilities for the fleet.”
Mission Specialist Defender designed for high-risk missions
BlueHalo mentioned its Mission Specialist Defender offers excessive maneuverability, payload integration, and operational flexibility. These capabilities allow the ROV to finish missions in high-risk maritime environments, it added.
The system has extra exact management of auto place and orientation than BlueHalo’s different ROVs and might deal with demanding intervention. This consists of issues like rendering an unexploded ordinance protected or cleansing nets for offshore fish farms.
A few of the maritime system’s options embrace:
- High-side management in a robust and compact console
- A modular design so customers can create a customized system for his or her software
- Depth score obtainable as much as 1,000 m (3,280.8 ft.)
- Seven thrusters for higher management and positioning
BlueHalo acquisitions to advance autonomy
BlueHalo was based in 2019 as a purpose-built platform to offer capabilities in a number of key mission areas: house applied sciences, counter-uncrewed plane techniques (cUAS), directed vitality, digital and cyber warfare, synthetic intelligence, and different rising applied sciences together with uncrewed underwater automobiles (UUVs). The Arlington, Va.-based firm is understood for its drone swarm and counter-drone know-how.
Acquired final yr, VideoRay was a developer of small ROVs to be used in mission-critical areas, together with explosive ordinance disposal, mine countermeasures, cell diving, salvage, and industrial purposes.
Additionally in November 2024, AeroVironment introduced its plans to buy BlueHalo in an all-stock transaction value roughly $4.1 billion. The Arlington, Va.-based protection contractor mentioned the acquisition will give it entry to a portfolio of merchandise and 100 patents.
AeroVironment mentioned the merchandise will complement its present experience within the design, improvement, manufacturing, coaching, and servicing of uncrewed techniques, loitering munitions, and superior applied sciences.
BlueHalo additionally final week introduced a memorandum of understanding to combine its next-generation autonomous techniques, layered air protection options, hypersonic telemetry, and airspace command-and-control applied sciences into GrandSKY’s services and Air Area Infrastructure Methods (ASIS). The companions mentioned their purpose is to create an unmatched flight operations atmosphere.
As well as, BlueHalo mentioned the profitable demonstration of its two-terminal, long-haul, multi-orbit laser communication system was a “breakthrough within the improvement of space-based laser communication know-how with far-reaching implications for nationwide safety and industrial sectors.”
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