UMS SKELDAR and Hydronalix have announced a co-operation agreement at the Modern Day Marine event, due to be held between June 27th and 29th, 2023, in Washington DC, USA.
The agreement will feature UMS SKELDAR’s market-leading SKELDAR V-200 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) equipped with one of Hydronalix’s groundbreaking Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) systems.
The purpose of the new joint platform is to offer solutions to emerging operational challenges within, for example, complex, contested littoral areas where supporting networks of manned – unmanned systems are required for efficient, resilient operations.
Hydronalix’s USV, which will for the first time be attached to UMS SKELDAR’s V-200 platform, can be employed as a communications link between the different users in all domains.
This combined system will provide the Marine Corps and Navy the capability to adapt to complex littoral environments rapidly thanks to its ability to be quickly deployed day or night over sea.
Additionally, the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR&T) benefits offered by launching USVs teamed with UAVs in conflict zones, greatly broadens the operational picture for users.
Ted Ackerstierna, UMS SKELDAR’s Vice President for the USA market, explains: “At UMS SKELDAR, we are constantly working to broaden the capabilities of our UAV platforms, not only in terms of sensor-based payloads, but also with technologies like Hydronalix’s USVs that we can employ from our UAV systems. The USVs offered by Hydronalix are such versatile pieces of technology, which we saw a great many uses for including supporting covert surveillance missions and acting as a critical communications link. Attached to our SKELDAR V-200, which has an endurance of over six hours with significant payload weight, the complete system will be able to provide a wide range of enhanced capabilities for Marine Corps and Navy war fighters across their operational domains.”
Anthony Mulligan, CEO for Hydronalix, adds: “The possibility of launching Hydronalix’s USVs from UMS SKELDAR’s V-200 UAVs is a potential gamechanger for Marine Corps and Navy war fighters who seek unmanned technologies that can enhance their operational capabilities. The future distributed force concepts require innovative solutions that can provide the domain awareness for effective decision making. From rescue to weapon assignment, the UMS SKELDAR UAV / Hydronalix USV platform combination with advanced mesh networking promises to serve Expeditionary and Special Forces under new distributed force designs.”
