Brenda Marie Rivers
The U.S. Navy has released a request for proposals for autonomous glider technologies that could support the service branch’s oceanographic survey and anti-submarine warfare missions, Defense News reported Wednesday.
The Navy intends to update its Littoral Battlespace Sensing Glider with a drone that can provide data on water conditions and conduct 90-day assessments of undersea environments where adversary submarines could operate.
LBS-G’s replacement must have the capacity to reach 657 feet of depth, rapidly obtain samples and transmit data through satellite communications or line-of-sight datalinks, according to the RFP obtained by the publication.
The glider drone, which is manufactured by a Teledyne Technologies subsidiary, is intended to operate with the Navy's ocean surveillance vessels for fleet maneuvers and ocean research.
Teledyne Brown Engineering has delivered over 180 LBS-Gs to date.
The Navy will accept responses to the solicitation through March 8.
