The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit has just thrown down the gauntlet, issuing a call for proposals under the “CAMP – Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform” project. The goal? To deploy large payloads over extended ranges, a task that current Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) struggle with. As the solicitation puts it, “current UUV capabilities present limitations in range and payload capacity, hindering the effective deployment of critical resources in certain operational scenarios.” This is a clear call to arms for the maritime industry to step up and innovate.
CAMP is more than just a project; it’s a tribute to the late Richard “Mike” Camp, a former Director of Warfare Systems for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Camp was a submarine officer turned tireless advocate for large UUVs, and this project is a testament to his vision. The Navy is already making strides in this area, having accepted delivery of its first Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) Test Asset System, the Boeing Orca XLUUV, in December 2023. This cutting-edge, autonomous submarine is a modular marvel, designed to execute a variety of missions and adapt to the ever-changing needs of naval operations. With its long-endurance capability, the Orca XLUUV can operate autonomously for extended periods, providing a sustained operational presence in challenging undersea environments. The Orca is based on the Boeing Echo Voyager XLUUV, but with a twist—a modular construction that allows for an additional 34-foot payload module.
But the Orca isn’t the only player in the game. The Snakehead, a tube-shaped UUV developed by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Newport, is another contender. However, the Snakehead program is currently on hold, leaving room for other innovators to step in. The DoD is looking for commercially available, demonstration-ready uncrewed systems that can address the limitations of current UUVs, offering a scalable and cost-effective solution for long-range, high-capacity payload deployment.
So, what does this mean for the future of the maritime industry? It’s a wake-up call, a challenge to push the boundaries of what’s possible. The desired mission sets for CAMP are vast, ranging from emplacement of various sized payloads to bathymetric surveys and mapping, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and even communications across the air/water interface. The desired solution attributes are equally ambitious, with a focus on exceptional range, modular payload capacity, autonomous operation, and more. This is a call for innovation, for pushing the envelope and challenging the status quo.
The maritime industry needs to rise to the occasion, to think outside the box and come up with solutions that meet these ambitious goals. This isn’t just about winning a contract; it’s about shaping the future of naval operations. It’s about creating systems that can operate in GPS-denied environments, that can minimize surface expression and duration, and that can integrate with third-party payloads and control systems. It’s about creating systems that are not just cutting-edge, but also secure, with a demonstrable pathway to prevent, mitigate, and recover from the effects of tampering or cyber events.
The future of the maritime industry is at stake, and it’s time to show what we’re made of. The Pentagon has issued a challenge, and it’s up to us to rise to the occasion. Let’s show them what innovation looks like. Let’s show them that the maritime industry is ready to lead the way into the future.