Blake Midnight

  • Hydroid, a familiar name in the Unmanned Underwater System defense market, was bought this year by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). We checked in with Duane Fotheringham, President, Unmanned Systems, HII, for insights on the path forward for autonomy in the defense sector.

    Hydroid is a long-established, well-known name in the subsea Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) sector that recently had a change in corporate ownership, joining the Huntington Ingalls Industries family of companies. “The immediate impact is that we are now part of a much larger organization and have access to those resources,” said Fotheringham. “The Unmanned Systems business unit consists of the REMUS, Seaglider and Proteus product lines as well as support to Boeing on the Orca program, which broadens our portfolio and allows us to offer the full range of UUVs, from small class to extra large class.”

    HII is not simply a larger corporate entity, but one with a treasure trove of experience serving the U.S. Navy with both surface craft and nuclear submarines. “We are also able to leverage HII’s expertise in submarine and ship design to provide increased capability in platform integration,” said Fotheringham.

    With the move under the HII banner the Hydroid brand is transitioning into Huntington Ingalls Industries. According to Fotheringham, “the REMUS and Seaglider brands will remain product lines within the organization.  We will also continue to advance REMUS as part of our partnership with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) through our technology transfer agreement.”

    Members of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle detachment, Commander, Task Group (CTG) 56.1, guides a UUV for recovery during a training exercise. CTG 56.1 provides mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal, salvage diving, force protection and promotes theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Lewis/Released)
    Serving the Navy

    While traditional subsea companies manufacture product primarily for three broad targets: military, offshore energy and science, the military clients come with a unique set of requirements. “With the U.S. Department of Defense focusing on Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA) and Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), open architecture is vital to ensuring compatibility across systems, platforms and domains,” said Fotheringham. “Launch and recovery becomes a challenge when a UUV might be launched from a dock, a RHIB, a submarine or a vessel with a high freeboard. Our new-generation UUVs are all being designed with modularity and flexibility in mind to ensure compatibility across many different mission types.

    Regardless of end customer, Fotheringham has guidance over an enviable family of UUV’s to meet the mission. “Our main product lines have always been the REMUS 100, REMUS 600 and REMUS 6000. However, the technology that goes into these systems is scalable,” said Fotheringham. “The REMUS Technology Platform includes advanced core electronics, open architecture, autonomy and modularity that can be scaled to everything from small-class to extra large-class UUVs. While physical parameters are designed to the specific requirements of a vehicle, the key to this technology is independent of hull diameter, size or depth rating.’

    The Seaglider product was integrated into the portfolio last year. The M1, a 1,000 meter-rated buoyancy-driven glider, has been in development since 1995, and according to Fotheringham more than 150 have been sold worldwide. “We are also beginning to manufacture the Seaglider C2, a 200 meter-rated glider that can go from fresh to salt water without the need to reballast.”

    As with any tech company in the sector, resting on past success is not an option. “Recently we delivered the REMUS 300, a small-class UUV, to the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for evaluation by the Naval Information Warfare Center,” said Fotheringham. “With advanced modularity that includes swappable payloads and battery sections, this UUV provides flexibility to maximize endurance and portability in easily changeable configurations.”

    With the market for offshore energy production currently is disarray, military markets offer potential for suppliers of advanced unmanned systems. “Based on recent U.S. Navy requirements for the small and medium UUV RFPs, modularity and flexibility seem to be key. They have requested systems that can perform many different missions from different platforms,” said Fotheringham. “With an increasing focus on unmanned systems, I think we will continue to see the need for advanced autonomy. UUVs act as a force-multiplier, expanding the reach of our defense forces and helping them to complete missions more efficiently.”
    From left to right, Machinist Mate 1st Class Micah Patterson, Boatswains Mate 1st Class Stephen Wodraska, Mineman 1st Class Coy Tully and Mineman 3rd Class Pete Calvert, assigned to Commander, Task Group 56.1, launch a MK 18 MOD 2 unmanned underwater vehicle from a rigid-hull inflatable boat during Squadex 2016. Squadex 2016 demonstrates U.S./U.K. mine detection capabilities in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy Combat Camera photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Blake Midnight)Challenges Ahead

    While technology has evolved rapidly in the subsea space, there remain challenges to work efficiently, effectively in what is arguably the harshest environment on the planet. “Our customers want to perform longer and more complex missions,” said Fotheringham. “The key to being able to accomplish this is autonomy and reliability. With UUVs the ability of an operator to interact with the vehicle is limited; therefore, the autonomy must be advanced enough to accomplish the mission and overcome unforeseen challenges and changing environmental conditions with no operator input. It also must be reliable enough to operate for long periods of time without failure.”

    Advances in autonomy, artificial intelligence and machine learning will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, according to Fotheringham. “By leveraging advanced GPUs to run machine learning algorithms, performing data fusion from sensors and maintaining greater situational awareness, vehicles will have the ability to adapt in real-time to their environment. Fielding these systems also requires new approaches to verification and validation to ensure their safety and reliability. Not only are we investing in these areas, but we have also focused on building an open architecture that supports insertion of new technologies and algorithms developed by us and other third parties.

    Advances in autonomy, of course, require ample ability to invest. “As discussed, we invest heavily in advancing the modularity, reliability, open architecture and autonomy of the REMUS Technology Platform,” said Fotheringham. “We are also investing in ways to make the vehicles easier to use and maintain. On our latest REMUS 300 vehicle, we introduced field-swappable, environmentally sealed batteries in several sizes that allow the user to quickly get the vehicle back in water in a configuration that meets their mission profile. We have also maximized the use of common parts and assemblies throughout the REMUS Technology Platform, reducing logistics and total ownership costs for our customers.”

    In addition, he said the company is constantly on the lookout for new options to shorten the cycle between data collection and putting the data to use. “Recently, we integrated an in-mission processor onto a REMUS 600 with high-resolution interferometric synthetic aperture sonar (HISAS). This processor compresses the imagery as it’s collected, reducing data offload times when the vehicle returns,” said Fotheringham. “This is ideal for time-sensitive missions like mine countermeasures, where faster data access means safer, more efficient operations.”

    REMUS 6000 HISAS. Photo: HII

    Arguably the greatest challenge today, still, lies in the ability to find and deliver increasingly robust power supply. “We anticipate that improvements in safe, reliable, long-endurance energy systems over the next few years will have significant immediate impact on UUV capabilities,” said Fotheringham. “The physical endurance of a UUV is much greater than the energy systems that currently power them, so increasing the energy density on a vehicle pays immediate dividends. This supports the longer, more complex missions discussed previously. A vehicle designed from the bottom up to be modular and flexible, like the REMUS 300, can make use of any of these energy system improvements as they come online.”
    There are many developments ongoing to bring new, safe battery chemistries, fuel cells and other hybrid energy systems to the UUV domain. “These can be integrated over time to increase the endurance of an existing vehicle through spiral upgrades, using our well-defined hardware and software interfaces,” said Fotheringham.

    The Impact of COVID-19
    No business is immune from the impacts of the recently COVID-19 pandemic, and Huntinington Ingalls Industries Unmanned Systems is no exception. “Massachusetts, the base of our Unmanned Systems business unit, is currently under regulations that require non-essential businesses to remain closed,” said Fotheringham. “The production of technology related to national defense is considered an essential activity, so we are continuing to manufacture all product lines with some modifications. Anyone who has the ability to work from home has been doing so since March. This limits potential exposure of our manufacturing and engineering personnel and allows employees to balance work with their family requirements. Personnel who can only work onsite also have the option to change to a more flexible schedule. We’ve instituted social distancing requirements at our facility to ensure employee safety, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our employees remain safe while continuing our responsibilities as an essential business.”

    REMUS 300. Photo: HII

  • MT Nov-22#58 Tech Files
Innovative new products, technologies and)
    November 2022 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 58

    Tech Files Innovative new products, technologies and concepts HII REMUS 620 UUV BOREAS D70 ISS360HD Sonar HII’s Mission Technologies divi- Advanced Navigation debuts the According to Impact Subsea, Boreas D70, a ? ber-optic gyroscope sion debuted a new medium-class the ISS360HD offers a 1° acoustic

  • MN Apr-22#35 , saw it 
JMS’ president, Blake Powell, said,  as a priority)
    April 2022 - Marine News page: 35

    as well as owner’s rep- Burns said that the Sandy Hook resentative services during the project. Pilots, as a New York business, saw it JMS’ president, Blake Powell, said, as a priority to keep as much of the “Our initial goal was to assess how well work as possible within the state. “We a purpose-built

  • MT Jan-22#38  covered coral mounds on the Blake Plateau, in- era sees)
    January 2022 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 38

    and Russel Smith from JPL. TRN works water outing. by using software to pick up unique features in what the cam- The surveys covered coral mounds on the Blake Plateau, in- era sees and then uses them as navigation aids, tracking and vestigated coral distribution that hadn’t been investigated be- following

  • MN Jan-22#45 Powered by www.maritimejobs.com
Marine Marketplace
Post)
    January 2022 - Marine News page: 45

    Powered by www.maritimejobs.com Marine Marketplace Post Your Resume for Free • Energize Your Job Search @ MaritimeJobs.com HVAC MAINTENANCE repair tools and equipment. dently on most jobs. TECHNICIAN II Description: Larger, costlier, exceptional, or more NC Department of Transportation How to Apply

  • MT May-21#56 Vessels
Innovative new ships, boats & technologies to)
    May 2021 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 56

    Vessels Innovative new ships, boats & technologies to facilitate subsea work R/V David Packard MBARI to build new Research Vessel he Monterey Bay Aquarium “MBARI’s mission to explore and diving remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Research Institute (MBARI) understand the ocean is more impor- Doc Ricketts.

  • MT Jul-20#32   shore wind farms,” says Blake Jackson, 
dynamic positioning)
    July 2020 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 32

    ves- conducting the maintenance of the off- cluded out? tting the feeder barge with sels. Its offshore service vessels include shore wind farms,” says Blake Jackson, dynamic positioning system and cable the Bravante series (built at Eastern a U.S.-based sales manager for Wärtsilä reel, fabricating and

  • MN Aug-20#43  the 
offshore wind farms.” 
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    August 2020 - Marine News page: 43

    ? c SOVs that can accommodate the usually land- based wind turbine technicians while conducting the maintenance of the offshore wind farms.” – Blake Jackson, a U.S.- based sales manager for Wärtsilä Marine Business Credit: Wärtsilä sels have an elevated requirement for crew comfort, station keeping

  • MN Aug-20#42  platform  wind farms,” says Blake Jackson, a U.S.-based)
    August 2020 - Marine News page: 42

    comfort, and cians while conducting the maintenance of the offshore high operability.” Vard designed vessels include platform wind farms,” says Blake Jackson, a U.S.-based sales man- supply vessels, anchor handlers and subsea construction ager for Wärtsilä Marine Business. In further enumerating

  • MT May-20#40  Specialist 1st Class Blake Midnight)
  May 2020
40  
MT)
    May 2020 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 40

    ./U.K. mine detection capabilities in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy Combat Camera photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Blake Midnight) May 2020 40 MT

  • MR Apr-20#24 Back to the Drawing Board
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    April 2020 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 24

    Back to the Drawing Board © Vittaya_25/AdobeStock Contracts are Overrated in Maritime y company has been around since 1875, and Sometimes they know and sometimes they don’t, but my answer today we actually still do things that were be- is effectively the same: “We are located in New Jersey, there- ing

  • MT Mar-20#39 ©2020 HydroComp, Inc.
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    March 2020 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 39

    ©2020 HydroComp, Inc. was hard to determine if it was geology Below The Surface or manmade.” Is What Matters At 11 pm, local time, on November 2018, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) was launched from the Under the surface of the Seabed Constructor to take a closer look water, the

  • MR Dec-19#27 GREAT SHIPS OF 2019 A METHANOL FUTURE
Methanol Proves)
    December 2019 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 27

    GREAT SHIPS OF 2019 A METHANOL FUTURE Methanol Proves Promising The future [fuel] is now When the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2019, the maritime world enters a bold new era of emission reduction. With its growing ? eet of methanol fueled ship and more than 60,000 hours of operating experience

  • MR Dec-19#6 MARITIME
Editorial
REPORTER
AND
ENGINEERING NEWS
M A R I N)
    December 2019 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 6

    MARITIME Editorial REPORTER AND ENGINEERING NEWS M A R I N E L I N K . C O M HQ 118 E. 25th St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10010 USA Tel +1 212 477 6700 Fax +1 212 254 6271 www.marinelink.com FL Of? ce 215 NW 3rd St Boynton Beach, FL 33435-4009 Tel +1 561 732 4368 Fax +1 561 732 6984 Publisher John C.

  • MP Q3-19#48 ................ 29, 33 Yaffee, Blake   ...................)
    Jul/Aug 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 48

    ......................................................... 30, 31 Parker, Barry ......................................................... 29, 33 Yaffee, Blake .......................................................... 35, 36 HaminaKotka Port ........................................................ 47 Paxton

  • MP Q3-19#36  work on the structure.”  
– Blake Yaffee, 
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    Jul/Aug 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 36

    , quantities and conditions. We were able to deal with any items that might create issues in advance of performing any actual work on the structure.” – Blake Yaffee, area manager for the project’s demolition portion that data into operators’ control boxes. Thruway to remove the material. As a result,

  • MP Q3-19#35  don’t have to look around for 
Blake Yaffee, area manager for)
    Jul/Aug 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 35

    clarity “Things that you missed as you go through the area you can and visibility to work. get a pinpoint location on, you don’t have to look around for Blake Yaffee, area manager for the project’s demolition por- things, you just know where everything is.” tion, explains that his team started by using the

  • MT Apr-19#18  what they have to say and we  Blake Yaffee, area manager for)
    April 2019 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 18

    . “The end users are the guys in the ance, giving operators clarity and visibility to work. seat all day, so we listen to what they have to say and we Blake Yaffee, area manager for the project’s demolition Image Courtesy Trimble April 2019 18 MTR MTR #3 (18-33).indd 18 4/10/2019 4:01:44 P

  • MR May-19#6 MARITIME
Editorial
REPORTER
AND
ENGINEERING NEWS
John E.)
    May 2019 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 6

    MARITIME Editorial REPORTER AND ENGINEERING NEWS John E. O’Malley: 1930-2019 M A R I N E L I N K . C O M HQ 118 E. 25th St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10010 USA Tel +1 212 477 6700 Fax +1 212 254 6271 www.marinelink.com FL Of? ce 215 NW 3rd St Boynton Beach, FL 33435-4009 Tel +1 561 732 4368 Fax +1 561 732

  • MN May-19#30 COLUMN SAFETY
Distractions Can Sink Careers 
Familiarity)
    May 2019 - Marine News page: 30

    COLUMN SAFETY Distractions Can Sink Careers Familiarity can and does breed contempt. You don’t need anything else added to that heavy burden. By Randy O’Neill We live and work in a frenetic environ- The weather was partly cloudy with a gusty wind of ment replete with a wide range of both up to 20

  • MR Oct-18#32 "As a business person I have a pretty good idea of my)
    October 2018 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 32

    "As a business person I have a pretty good idea of my fuel costs for the next 10 years. When you look at where the price of compliant fuel is going … is it going to be a 40% dif erential to crude, 50%? Who knows. I do know that my cost of LNG will be relatively stable.” – Peter Keller, Executive Vice

  • MP Q2-18#10 INSIGHTS
The 2020 Sulfur Cap – Growing 
By Kathy Metcalf
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    May/Jun 2018 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 10

    INSIGHTS The 2020 Sulfur Cap – Growing By Kathy Metcalf t the stroke of midnight on 1 January 2018, the global blends may compromise the safe working order of existing shipping industry will be expected to comply with the marine engines perhaps to the extreme result of total loss of AIMO agreed upon 0.

  • MN Jun-18#56  Cannizzaro Bell Larrabee Blake Winfree BronstienFinn
US)
    June 2018 - Marine News page: 56

    PEOPLE & COMPANY NEWS Containerization and Intermodal Institute Containerization and Intermodal Institute FukunagaMitropoulos Cannizzaro Bell Larrabee Blake Winfree BronstienFinn US Customs and Border Protection tors. Robert Cannizzaro, VP, Marine the board in accordance with Matson’s Of? ce of Air

  • MN Apr-18#43  reducing noise. The Fan-On-
Blake Stovall, TIG welding operator)
    April 2018 - Marine News page: 43

    helps keep the machines cleaner be able to keep up with the quality of all the boats,” says — saving time while also reducing noise. The Fan-On- Blake Stovall, TIG welding operator and supervisor at Demand cooling system in the welding power sources Metal Shark’s Franklin Shipyard. “Quality and

  • MP Q4-17#34  Summit in Wilmington, Dr. Blake Brown, and 
growth plans)
    Nov/Dec 2017 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 34

    , or within 100 miles of the port’s gates. At November’s concedes, “Ports to the north and south of us have ambitious Cold Chain Summit in Wilmington, Dr. Blake Brown, and growth plans, but congestion in some of these ports is an issue. economist and policy analyst put that potential into focus. As for this