Page 51: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2021)

Tech Files

Innovative products, technologies and concepts

LRUSV for the Marines

Metal Shark was selected to develop and implement the Long Range Unmanned Surface

Vessel (LRUSV) System for the United States

Marine Corps. Metal Shark has enlisted autono- mous technology developer Spatial Integrated

Systems (SIS), recently acquired by Huntington

Ingalls Industries, to provide the autonomy solu- tion for the LRUSV system. Under an “Other

Transaction Authority” (OTA) Agreement with

Marine Corps Systems Command, Metal Shark will design, build, test, and implement the vessels and will handle the integration of the autonomy system and an advanced Command and Control (C2) software suite.

Sail Power: World’s Largest Slewing Drive Unit

In addition to the autonomous LRUSV, Metal

Shark will also produce manned support vessels

As the maritime industry grapples with the technology and tech- for the LRUSV system utilizing its 40 De? ant nique to meet increasingly strict emission mandates, eConowind military patrol craft platform, which the builder is working to deliver an innovative wind sail system. In step with is currently producing to create the U.S. Navy’s the development, Liebherr delivered what is currently the largest new “40 PB” patrol boat ? eet. worm-driven slewing drive units in the world for the sailing system by eConowind. Inspired by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, eConowind develops an innovative sailing system that is intended to revolution- ize commercial shipping. Up to 40 meters high, futuristic metal sails serve as propulsion support for cargo ships. The world’s largest slew- ing drive units turn these huge sails. Using wind power in this way, it is estimated that fuel costs in shipping can be reduced by up to 20%.

Liebherr slewing drive units are self-contained systems consisting of a drive and a bearing unit. This makes the components particularly resistant to extreme environmental in? uences, such as salt water or dust. Special sealing systems and surface coatings also add to the high resistance of the large components and make them ideal for use at sea. The massive, worm-driven components from Liebherr mea-

Metal Shark sure 1.720 mm in diameter each and weigh together over 1.4 tonnes.

Elbit Systems won a contract to supply

Elbit tapped to supply USVs

Seagull Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) to an Asia-Paci? c Navy. Under the contract, Elbit

Systems will provide Seagull USV systems that are speci? cally con? gured to perform

Mine Counter Measures (MCM) missions while facilitating the option to add technology modules needed for Anti-Submarine Warfare.

The Seagull USVs to be supplied will integrate

Side-Scan and Forward-Looking sonars, Mine

Identi? cation and Destruction Remotely Oper- ated Vehicles. The USVs also will be equipped with the Company’s autonomous suite,

Combat Management System and Satellite

Communication capability.

Elbit Systems Liebherr www.marinelink.com 51

MR #2 (50-59).indd 51 2/4/2021 10:11:45 AM