General Dynamics Mission Systems announced today that it was awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy for support of their Overlord Unmanned Surface Vessel (OUSV) Combat System Ship Integration and Test program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $17.4 million. As part of this contract, General Dynamics Mission Systems will provide integration and support of combat management systems onboard Overlord unmanned surface vessels for the U.S. Navy. Work for this contract will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Lafayette, Louisiana, with expected completion in August 2026.
“General Dynamics Mission Systems has more than 60 years of experience integrating combat management systems into aircraft, submarines and surface ships, and we look forward to collaborating on this critical capability. Applying our proven expertise onto the U.S. Navy’s Overlord unmanned surface vessels support Navy plans to develop safe and effective unmanned capabilities for the future fleet,” said Stan Kordana, Vice President of Surface Systems at General Dynamics Mission Systems.
The Ghost Fleet Overlord program is part of an effort to accelerate the Navy’s push to incorporate autonomous vessels within its fleet to better expand the reach of manned vessels. Autonomy includes more than just straight-line passage through large areas of the ocean; it also involves such things as collision avoidance and following the rules of the sea. The Navy’s efforts to adopt the unmanned vessel concept involve several classes of ships and an array of missions, such as offensive operations and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with reduced risk to crew and legacy vessels. The Ghost Fleet Overlord program has demonstrated continued maturity in the autonomous USV concept since it stood up in late 2018.
General Dynamics Mission Systems is a business unit of American defense and aerospace company General Dynamics. General Dynamics Mission Systems integrates secure communication and information systems and technology. General Dynamics Mission Systems has core manufacturing in secure communications networks; radios and satellite technology for the defense, cyber, public safety, and intelligence communities. General Dynamics Mission Systems was formed in January 2015 when General Dynamics combined the company’s C4 Systems and Advanced Information Systems.[3] General Dynamics C4 Systems was originally owned by GTE and operated as GTE Government Systems. General Dynamics acquired GTE Government Systems in 1999.
