Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. company, has been awarded a contract worth up to $106 million to provide Mine Sweeping Payload Delivery Systems (PDS) for the U.S. Navy.
As noted by the company, the contract supports the production, spares, and engineering services required for the Mine Countermeasure Mission Package (MCMMP), advancing the Navy’s mine countermeasure capabilities.
The MCMMP enables the U.S. Navy to execute mine sweeping and hunting operations with greater efficiency and safety. The awarded system, known as the Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV), is designed for semi-autonomous mine sweeping missions. Utilizing a towed acoustic generator and magnetic minesweeping cable, the Minesweeping PDS will detect and neutralize magnetic, acoustic, and combination mines.
“The MCM mission package advances the Navy’s abilities with USVs, providing additional security for our sailors,” said David Phillips, Senior Vice President of Air, Land, and Sea Systems at Textron. “Textron Systems excels at integration work across our air, land, and sea domains. The PDS award builds on that expertise and allows the Navy to take integration one step further through production and fielding, resulting in a semi-autonomous solution.”
Textron Systems has a long-standing partnership with the U.S. Navy, having supported the development of the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) since 2014. The UISS, which achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2022, was the Navy’s first mine-sweep payload delivery system designed specifically for uncrewed surface vessels. Textron Systems also played a key role in the Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) of the MCMMP, ensuring its readiness for operational deployment.
In addition to the PDS contract, Textron Systems was awarded the Magnetic and Acoustic Generation Next Unmanned Superconducting Sweep (MAGNUSS) contract in 2023 by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). This program focuses on developing advanced non-towed sweep system technologies to supplement legacy mine-sweeping solutions.
The CUSV system, supported by these advancements, enhances the Navy’s capabilities to address evolving maritime threats. By leveraging semi-autonomous technologies, the Navy is taking significant steps toward ensuring the safety and security of its operations and personnel in contested environments.