The DoD has awarded California-based Areté a $9.75 million contract to upgrade sensors housed by the MK18 family of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
The MK18 is a highly configurable vehicle that can be outfitted with a wide array of sensors to support mine countermeasures (MCM) missions, survey hydrographic data, search areas for specific conditions and items, and provide reconnaissance.
The 17-month contract from the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, scheduled for completion by January 23, 2022, includes incremental upgrades, block upgrades, and future generations, including additional UUVs and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs).
The MK18 is deployable from vessels as small as an 11-foot rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB). The vessel has a maximum mission duration of 24 hours and a maximum operating depth of 600 meters.
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