Each firms are deeply invested within the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

On Thursday, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Ocean Aero introduced a strategic settlement to advance the mixed capabilities of their respective unmanned maritime platforms and autonomy software program options.

Whereas HII is headquartered in Virginia, one among their major shipyards is positioned in Pascagoula, Mississippi. It’s the nation’s largest army shipbuilder with practically 43,000 complete staff and boasts a greater than 135-year historical past of advancing U.S. nationwide safety. HII can also be the preeminent unmanned underwater car producer and a pioneer within the UUV business, repeatedly producing REMUS autos because the early 2000s.

Ocean Aero is headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi. The corporate notes that’s proudly 100% made in the usA. and has solely American traders. It incorporates a staff of practically 100 folks. 

Each firms are unmanned resolution suppliers. The 2 lately commenced a number of, simultaneous efforts to boost the operational attain and length of the platforms, collaborative autonomy behaviors, shared sensor fusion and notion capabilities, and accelerated seabed-to-shore knowledge transmission strategies.

Duane Fotheringham, HII’s president of the Unmanned Methods enterprise group at HII’s Mission Applied sciences division, sees the partnership as a win for the businesses and the U.S. army.

“We’re happy to accomplice with Ocean Aero to additional increase the operational capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces, accomplice nations and different maritime-focused industrial establishments,” stated Fotheringham in an announcement. “We’re excited to mix the very best of our particular person merchandise to ship an distinctive suite of options to our clients.”

Kevin Decker, Ocean Aero chief govt officer, added that that is the proper time for them to accomplice with HII.

“With rising maritime challenges rising worldwide, we want new capabilities to satisfy them,” Decker stated. “Incorporating our two companies’ autonomous car worth propositions will unlock new instruments for our clients at house and overseas.”  

In response to a joint assertion, HII and Ocean Aero are concerned in a number of unmanned maritime techniques initiatives and workouts throughout the globe. Ocean Aero lately accomplished Digital Horizon, the U.S. Fifth Fleet Maritime Area Consciousness train within the Arabian Gulf, the place HII’s REMUS autos (MK18 Mod 1 and MK18 Mod 2) have been deployed repeatedly since 2013. The HII-Ocean Aero staff is already planning to exhibit their mixed capabilities at an upcoming occasion within the area, along with different deliberate occasions and workouts for U.S. and worldwide companions.