DARPA Awards Contracts For Autonomous 'Sea Train'.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded contracts for its Sea Train program, which seeks to enable autonomous vessels to perform long-range transit operations.

In September, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Gibbs & Cox Maritime Solutions and Mar Technologies were chosen for the program, which will include two 18-month phases. The contract awards' total potential values were $31.2 million, $30.4 million and $28.5 million, respectively. Through the effort, DARPA wants "to provide some operational flexibility for medium-sized unmanned surface vessels," said Andrew Nuss, a program manager within the agency's tactical technology office. Each company is "developing a unique approach to be able to address the goals of the Sea Train program."

Unmanned surface vessels are generally limited in operational range, typically 3,500 to 4,000 nautical miles, he said in an interview. However, DARPA hopes to extend that to about 14,000 nautical miles under the Sea Train program.

Usually unmanned surface vessels must undergo multiple refuelings to go farther distances, he noted.

"It's sort of a vicious cycle at that point, where you're constantly chasing efficiencies and whatnot," he said. However, a Sea Train platform--which is expected to be 40 meters long and carry a 35-ton payload--could give an operational commander "the flexibility to...