persistent Systems, LLC, a frontrunner in mobile ad hoc network (MANET) technology, has secured a $1.3 million contract to provide the U.S. Navy with MPU5 networking devices and Integrated Sector Antennas, aimed at enhancing expeditionary and littoral warfare capabilities.
The MPU5 devices and sector antennas will create a secure communication network linking unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), operators, naval vessels, and ground control stations (GCSs). This integrated system will streamline data sharing, improving situational awareness and operational efficiency in coastal environments through a centralized command and communication hub.
“By incorporating unmanned systems with our wireless Wave Relay® MANET technology,the U.S. Navy gains access to real-time data, including radar, sonar, and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNe) intelligence, in any littoral habitat, ensuring safe operations for personnel and maintaining situational awareness aboard ships,” stated Ed leopold, Director of Business Progress for the U.S. Navy at persistent Systems.
Leopold further emphasized,“The wireless real-time data acquisition enabled by the MPU5s represents a important advancement over existing methods,which necessitate operators to physically retrieve a USV to access critical Area of Obligation (AoR) data stored on an SD card,followed by transferring it to a computer for analysis.”
as per company representatives, the U.S. Navy has been evaluating Persistent’s MANET technology for nearly five years to support expeditionary warfare and various concepts of operations (CONOPS). This latest contract from the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific marks the largest USV-focused MANET acquisition by the Navy to date.
“Our Wave Relay® MANET technology is currently utilized on Navy USVs,rigid inflatable boats (RIBs),patrol vessels,and other maritime platforms.Future testing will expand to include a greater number of MANET nodes within Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line of sight (BLOS),” added Leopold.
This contract with NIWC Pacific is the second awarded to Persistent Systems. earlier this year, the company announced a $3.6 million contract to integrate MPU5s with Navy sensors.
“The Navy’s strong confidence in our solutions has enabled us to engage early in the development of USV technology,” concluded Leopold.
