Bollinger Shipyards has handed over the first mine countermeasures unmanned surface vehicles (MCM USVs) to the US Navy as part of a contract signed in 2022.
The package includes the first three platforms under the initiative, which were built at the company’s facility in Lockport, Louisiana.
The effort covers the production of nine drone boats, with an option for up to 18 more systems depending on force requirements.
Upon activation, these vessels will be used for autonomous minehunting, minesweeping, and mine neutralization deployments.
Such missions were traditionally assigned to the navy’s MCM-1 or Avenger-class ships, operational since the 1980s. The fleet is usually coupled with the MH-53E Sea Dragon anti-mine helicopters introduced around the same period.
‘Critical’ Assets
The US Navy’s new MCM USVs will reduce the risks of sea mine-related tasks to personnel by undertaking operations without boarding an actual crew.
Another benefit of these platforms comes from their built-in multiple payload delivery systems to carry present and future anti-mine capabilities into the theater.
“Bollinger is proud to deliver the first three full-rate production MCM USVs to the US Navy,” Bollinger Shipyards CEO and President Ben Bordelon stated.
“This milestone demonstrates Bollinger’s ability to deliver highly complex, next-generation capabilities that meet the evolving needs of our naval forces. We’re honored to play a critical role in supporting the Navy’s future force and are proud of our skilled workforce, which makes this possible.”
Modernizing Naval MCM Systems
Bollinger’s shipment to the US Navy follows a contract it signed last February to supply tested materials for live autonomous MCM operations.
The deal was awarded as part of a larger mission package acquisition to bolster the service’s anti-mine capabilities, particularly of its littoral combat ship fleets, while securing “key maritime regions and keeping global shipping lanes.”
