TL;DR:
- L3Harris Technologies and BigBear.ai partner to support autonomous surface vessels for the U.S. Navy.
- BigBear.ai will provide L3Harris with computer vision, predictive analytics, and related applications to enhance the autonomous and remote control of uncrewed vehicles.
- The US Navy and Marine Corps are investing heavily in unmanned technologies to improve their field of view and stay engaged in dangerous or understaffed regions.
- Unmanned platforms will deploy alongside carrier strike groups and amphibious-ready groups in the next four to five years.
- Both companies have worked with the Navy’s Task Force 59 to integrate AI and uncrewed systems into at-sea operations.
- The partnership is poised to lead the way in unmanned systems for the Navy and beyond.
Main AI News:
L3Harris Technologies, one of the top ten largest defense contractors by revenue, has partnered with BigBear.ai, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) company, to develop products that will support autonomous surface vessels, a critical element in the US Navy’s future playbook.
Through their partnership, BigBear.ai will provide L3Harris with computer vision, predictive analytics, and related applications to enhance manned-unmanned teaming on the water and to improve the identification and classification of foreign vessels. These capabilities will be combined with L3Harris’ ASView system, which enables autonomous and remote control of uncrewed vehicles.
The ASView system, which has been in continuous development since 2008 and has been installed on over 100 newly-built and retrofitted ships, will benefit greatly from BigBear.ai’s advanced AI capabilities. “Our advanced AI capabilities enable autonomous vessels to operate with unparalleled efficiency and safety, supporting higher-risk missions, expanding operational reach, and, most importantly, saving lives,” said Mandy Long, CEO of BigBear.ai. “As the battlespace evolves, autonomous systems will play an increasingly significant role. We look forward to the limitless possibilities that lie ahead.”
The US Navy and Marine Corps have been investing heavily in unmanned technologies, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous surface vessels, and unmanned underwater vehicles, to improve their field of view and stay engaged in regions considered too dangerous or understaffed. The Navy plans to deploy unmanned platforms alongside carrier strike groups and amphibious-ready groups within the next four to five years, according to Chief of Naval Operations Michael Gilday.
This partnership between L3Harris and BigBear.ai comes after both companies have worked with the Navy’s Task Force 59, a group focused on integrating AI and uncrewed systems into at-sea operations. The task force recently completed Digital Horizon, a three-week experiment in Bahrain, which included 15 advanced systems, 10 of which operated in the Middle East for the first time.
Together, L3Harris and BigBear.ai are poised to push the boundaries of autonomous technology and lead the way in unmanned systems for the Navy and beyond.
Conlcusion:
The partnership between L3Harris Technologies and BigBear.ai to advance autonomous surface vessels for the US Navy marks a significant step forward in the unmanned systems market. As the Navy and Marine Corps invest heavily in unmanned technologies, this partnership positions L3Harris and BigBear.ai to lead the way in providing critical solutions for autonomous operations on the water.
With their advanced AI capabilities, both companies are well-positioned to capture a significant share of the growing demand for unmanned systems in the defense sector and potentially expand their reach to other industries that require autonomous operations.
