Naval Technology

Daily Newsletter

08 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

Textron Systems secures $241m contract for connector craft

Textron Systems Corp. will advance US maritime capabilities by procuring LCAC 100 Class material and activities for ship-to-shore connectors.

Textron Systems Corp., headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been awarded a contract worth $241m to procure LCAC 100 Class material and activities.

This contract is set to usher in maritime innovation as it supports the development of five future ship-to-shore connector landing craft air cushion (LCAC) 100 Class craft.

The contract entails a cost-reimbursable, not-to-exceed agreement, solidifying Textron Systems Corp.’s role in advancing maritime capabilities as they contribute to developing LCAC 100 Class vessels designed to enhance ship-to-shore operations efficiently and precisely.

James Marques, aerospace, defence, and security analyst at GlobalData, claimed: “It’s just important to consider the context LCAC are being bought in, as the US shifts to more operations in the Pacific.

These were likely not a huge priority for delivery until recent years, and LCAC are being designed with the new vehicles the US Marines are buying, like the armoured reconnaissance vehicle in mind. They can deploy amphibious vehicles straight into the water, which can be safer in some contexts.”

The scope of this initiative spans multiple locations, showing the widespread collaboration driving this endeavour. Work will take place across diverse areas; some examples include Gloucester, United Kingdom; Herndon, Virginia; Milford, Ohio; and New Orleans, Louisiana. Completion of this transformative project is anticipated by October 2025.

Funding for this project is drawn from multiple sources. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funds amounting to $99.8m (55%), alongside fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funds totalling $77.3m (45%), will be allocated at the time of award.

The overarching goal of this contract is to facilitate the procurement of long lead time material and non-recurring activities for up to five Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) class crafts. The Naval Sea Systems Command, based in Washington, DC, serves as the contracting activity, overseeing the execution of this initiative.

As Textron Systems Corp. embarks on this journey, the US maritime industry will see the impact of the LCAC 100 Class vessels, poised to support ship-to-shore operations and elevate the US naval capabilities.

The first of the US Navy’s future ship-to-shore connector craft had completed builder’s trials in October 2019. The LCAC 100 Class completed the trials seven years after Textron received the first contract.

Growing global demand for autonomous UMV capabilities

The proliferation of unmanned systems in the global defense market continues to have a growing impact on the future of naval warfare. Navies around the globe are increasingly investing in the development and integration of unmanned surface vehicles (USV) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) to create ‘hybrid’ fleet structures in the interest of enhancing survivability, increasing efficiency, and reducing the long-term costs of naval operations. USVs are a new and fast-growing segment of the naval defense market, with steady investment and interest from around the globe due to the multitude of applications for this emerging technology. GlobalData forecasts expenditures in the global UUV market to rise from $379 million in 2023 to $965 million by 2033 as the market continues to surpass its previous records. Demand for military UUVs continues to be driven by the development of autonomous MCM capabilities and the implementation of hybridized fleet initiatives by several nations including China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US. However, the market for USVs continues to far outpace that of UUVs. Demand for military USVs is driven by many of the same factors as for UUVs, with autonomous MCM capabilities and hybrid fleet structures driving demand for USV platforms around the globe.