Navy researchers approach industry for ultra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle for long-endurance missions
ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. Navy researchers are surveying industry for companies interested in developing the Ocean Explorer (OEX) large uncrewed underwater vehicle demonstrator for extended ocean missions while carrying a large modular payload.
Officials of the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Va., issued a long-range broad agency announcement (N0001425SBC04) last week for the Ocean Explorer (OEX) Large Underwater Vehicle Demonstrator project.
Researchers want to identify companies able to design, build, and test the OEX -- an ultra-large autonomous undersea vehicle for a variety of long-duration undersea surveillance missions.
Industry briefings set
ONR will brief industry on details of the OEX Large Underwater Vehicle Demonstrator project during a secret industry day at 9 a.m. Monday and Tuesday 30 June to 1 July 2025 at the Bobby Junker Executive Conference Center (Room 1435), Office of Naval Research, One Liberty Center, 875 N. Randolph St., in Arlington, Va.
Researchers are interested in rapid prototyping of ultra-large undersea vehicle technologies that significantly advance the state of the art for uncrewed undersea vessel (UUV) performance and manufacturing. Specific goals will presented at the industry briefings.
The OEX Large Underwater Vehicle Demonstrator project first seeks white papers and then full proposals for OEX preliminary design with an option for detailed design of the UUV and payload module. The project also seeks to lay out the operational and maintenance infrastructure necessary to support an OEX squadron of UUVs.
Companies interested in attending the OEX Large Underwater Vehicle Demonstrator project industry briefings should register online no later than 18 June 2025 at https://www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/register/222/page1.asp?m=4269&c=691.
Companies that would like to participate in the project should submit five-page white papers no later than 25 July 2025 to the ONR Submission Portal online at https://submissions.nre.navy.mil.
Email technical questions to the Navy's Stephen Schreppler at [email protected]. Email contracting questions to Leila Hemenway at [email protected]. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/049d222acdd74ec2a938ac092a16a7d0/view.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
