The Mission Specialist Defender system has a modular design for simple integration with a wide range of instruments. | Source: BlueHalo
BlueHalo LLC final week introduced that it has received a contract value $30,735,784 to offer engineering and help providers for its Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response, or MESR, techniques.
The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific issued the five-year contract, which helps the U.S. Navy’s ongoing operations utilizing the Mission Specialist Defender remotely operated car (ROV).
The award follows the Navy’s $92.6 million MESR contract awarded to VideoRay in May 2024. The firm stated it reinforces its function in supporting the U.S. Navy with superior underwater robotic know-how for expeditionary missions, mine countermeasures, and underwater safety. BlueHalo purchased VideoRay in November.
“This follow-on contract highlights the U.S. Navy’s commitment to adapting and customizing our commercial off-the-shelf defense solutions to meet the evolving needs of its expeditionary forces,” said Jonathan Moneymaker, CEO of BlueHalo. “We are honored to continue our support in delivering cutting-edge, mission-critical ROVs that enhance maritime security, reconnaissance, and response capabilities for the fleet.”
Mission Specialist Defender designed for high-risk missions
BlueHalo stated its Mission Specialist Defender supplies excessive maneuverability, payload integration, and operational flexibility. These capabilities allow the ROV to finish missions in high-risk maritime environments, it added.
The system has extra exact management of auto place and orientation than BlueHalo’s different ROVs and might deal with demanding intervention. This consists of issues like rendering an unexploded ordinance secure or cleansing nets for offshore fish farms.
Some of the maritime system’s options embody:
- Top-side management in a strong and compact console
- A modular design so customers can create a customized system for his or her utility
- Depth score out there as much as 1,000 m (3,280.8 ft.)
- Seven thrusters for larger management and positioning
BlueHalo acquisitions to advance autonomy
BlueHalo was based in 2019 as a purpose-built platform to offer capabilities in a number of key mission areas: area applied sciences, counter-uncrewed plane techniques (cUAS), directed vitality, digital and cyber warfare, synthetic intelligence, and different rising applied sciences together with uncrewed underwater automobiles (UUVs). The Arlington, Va.-based firm is understood for its drone swarm and counter-drone know-how.
Acquired final 12 months, VideoRay was a developer of small ROVs to be used in mission-critical areas, together with explosive ordinance disposal, mine countermeasures, cell diving, salvage, and industrial functions.
Also in November 2024, AeroVironment introduced its plans to buy BlueHalo in an all-stock transaction value roughly $4.1 billion. The Arlington, Va.-based protection contractor stated the acquisition will give it entry to a portfolio of merchandise and 100 patents.
AeroVironment stated the merchandise will complement its present experience within the design, growth, manufacturing, coaching, and servicing of uncrewed techniques, loitering munitions, and superior applied sciences.
BlueHalo additionally final week introduced a memorandum of understanding to combine its next-generation autonomous techniques, layered air protection options, hypersonic telemetry, and airspace command-and-control applied sciences into GrandSKY’s amenities and Air Space Infrastructure Systems (ASIS). The companions stated their purpose is to create an unmatched flight operations setting.
In addition, BlueHalo stated the profitable demonstration of its two-terminal, long-haul, multi-orbit laser communication system was a “breakthrough in the development of space-based laser communication technology with far-reaching implications for national security and commercial sectors.”
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