Leidos completes unmanned Sea Hunter ship performance tests

RESTON, Va., July 26 (UPI) -- Leidos has completed initial performance trials of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Unmanned Vessel, or ACTUV, the company said Monday.

The at-sea tests took place off the coast of San Diego for the 132-foot trimaran, known as Sea Hunter, Leidos said in a statement.

The ship, christened in April, met or surpassed all performance objectives for speed, maneuverability, stability, seakeeping, acceleration, deceleration and fuel consumption.

The tests also established confidence in mechanical systems reliability in an open-ocean environment.

Sea Hunter is designed to operate for extended periods at sea with no one on board and sparse supervisory control during deployment.

While initial vessel tests required a pilot on board, later tests will have no personnel on board.

Completion of the performance trials is the first milestone in a two-year test schedule.

Upcoming tests will include sensors, Sea Hunters' autonomy suite, maritime collision regulations compliance and proof-of-concept demonstrations for different Navy missions.