Seahawk joins Surface Development Squadron One
Photo: Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe, U.S. Navy
Leidos recently finished testing its newest unmanned vessel called Seahawk and transported it from the Mississippi Gulf Coast to San Diego where it was delivered to the U.S. Navy. Seahawk is now part of the Navy’s Surface Development Squadron One, which recently conducted exercises that joined manned and unmanned systems.
Why you should know: Seahawk, an upgraded version of Sea Hunter, is another significant step in the military’s adoption of unmanned platforms that use artificial intelligence to enhance the Navy’s capabilities.
Specifics: In open sea testing, Seahawk behaved as expected in all categories including speed, endurance, and navigation and sensor functions. The 135-foot vessel is designed for long life, durability in rough water and transoceanic range. Its composite hull minimizes damage caused by corrosion, a maintenance concern the Navy often faces.
From the source: “Seahawk is unique because it was designed from the keel up to be unmanned for weeks or months at a time,” said Dan Brintzinghoffer, a maritime systems expert at Leidos. “We didn’t just put an autonomous navigation system onto an existing ship.”
Making headlines:
- In May 2019, Fortune described Sea Hunter, Seahawk’s predecessor, as “the first of a new class of warships that use artificial intelligence in place of a crew.”
- In November 2020, Forbes predicted the unmanned surface vessel (USV) program will be one of four that will define President Biden’s defense posture.
- In December 2020, Forbes argued USVs could become a major headache for the Chinese Navy.
Zooming out: New unmanned vessels like Seahawk and Sea Hunter are among the Navy’s best options for many of its missions around the world due to their flexibility and lower maintenance costs.
Please contact the Leidos media relations team for more.
* Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 1, 2021, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
