# Underwater Craft Development



## MedCorps (7 Nov 2006)

Two big contracts (11-million total, with possible total of 82 -million USD) for underwater craft research... SEAL stuff it looks like.  

Enjoy, 

MC

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CONTRACTS from the United States Department of Defense

November 06, 2006

NAVY

General Dynamics, Electric Boat, Corp., Groton, Conn.,is being awarded a $5,748,078 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development to support the Underwater Express program to demonstrate stable and controllable high-speed underwater transport through supercavitation. This effort will help determine the feasibility of supercavitation technology to enable a new class of high-speed underwater craft for future littoral missions that could involve the transport of high-value cargo and/or small units of personnel. This contract contains two options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative potential value of this contract to $37,105,768.Work will be performed in State College, Pa. (37 percent); Groton, Conn.(24 percent); McLean, Va.(14 percent); Reston, Va. (10 percent); Bethesda, Md. (12 percent); and Newport, R.I. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed October 2007.Contract funds in the amount of $3,377,441 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Broad Area Announcement (BAA) (No. 06-13), which solicited proposals via the Federal Business Opportunities website, for advanced research and development under the provisions of FAR 6.102(d)(2) and FAR 35. In accordance with the criteria of the BAA, the General Dynamics, Electric Boat, Corp., proposal was evaluated by DARPA through the process of peer and scientific review. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-07-C-2002).

Northrop Grumman Corporation, Electronic Systems, Annapolis, Md.,is being awarded a $5,398,125 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development to support the Underwater Express program to demonstrate stable and controllable high-speed underwater transport through supercavitation. This effort will help determine the feasibility of supercavitation technology to enable a new class of high-speed underwater craft for future littoral missions that could involve the transport of high-value cargo and/or small units of personnel. This thirteen-month contract includes two, fifteen-month options; the first option has a potential value of $17,050,929 and the second option has a potential value of $23,397,921. The cumulative, potential value of this contract including both options is $45,846,975. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Md. (50%); State College, Pa. (42 percent); Sunnyvale, Calif.(4 percent); College Park, Md.(1 percent); Minneapolis, Minn. (1 percent); Cambridge, Mass. (1 percent); and Newport, R.I. (1 percent), and the expected completion date is September 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $2,479,413 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Broad Area Announcement (BAA) (No. 06-13), which solicited proposals via the Federal Business Opportunities website, for advanced research and development under the provisions of FAR 6.102(d)(2) and FAR 35. In accordance with the criteria of the BAA, the Northrup Grumman Corporation, Electronic Systems, proposal was evaluated by DARPA through the process of peer and scientific review. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-07-C-2003).


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## GAP (7 Nov 2006)

I might have missed it, but it looks like it mostly about supercavitation, which is the high speed torpedo's


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## MedCorps (7 Nov 2006)

Hmm... not so much... in this case.   

Normally supercavitation is used with respect to torpedo's (such as the  VA-111 Shkval torpedo).  I think the US Navy is trying something new.  

Take a second read: litoral, high-speed underwater craft, high-value cargo, transport small units of personnel.   

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This effort will help determine the feasibility of supercavitation technology to enable a new class of high-speed underwater craft for future littoral missions that could involve the transport of high-value cargo and/or small units of personnel. 
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Then again, I fix people... so what the hell do I know... 

MC


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## GAP (7 Nov 2006)

Well experimental craft, especially high speed littoral craft, do crash into such things as rocks, coral, bumps in the sea floor, little things like that...  ;D

My bad, I missed that


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## a_majoor (4 Dec 2006)

A rather bizzare idea, since (as noted) littorals have lots of obstacles which would ruin your day when you impact at @ 500 Knots. A rocket powered torpedo or submersable would also be the loudest thing in the water, and announce itself to every ship, sub and sonal sensor for hundreds of kilometers when activated.

The only use that seems to make any sense is as an extraction vehicle; pile aboard, gun the electric motor until you are clear of the inshore rocks and reefs then fire up the rocket.......only now everyone knows where the RV is going to be. OOPs!


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