Autonomous Maritime Surface Vessel (MSV) for Cargo Transport

The contract seeks the development of autonomous unmanned surface vessels designed to transport between one and four twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo through contested maritime and littoral environments with minimal reliance on external infrastructure. These vessels must be attritable, meaning they are expendable in high-risk operational scenarios, and capable of autonomous navigation and mission execution under adversarial conditions. The system must operate effectively in austere coastal zones where traditional logistics support is limited or unavailable, emphasizing resilience, low observability, and modular design for rapid deployment and replacement. The procurement is classified as a subcontract under NAICS code 336611, which corresponds to ship and boat building, and is managed by the 413TH Csb under the Department of Defense. The solicitation was posted on August 5, 2026, with responses due by August 17, 2026, indicating a narrow window for submission. Performance is expected to occur in unspecified maritime regions, reflecting the operational flexibility required for contested environments. There is no set-aside designation specified, suggesting open competition among qualified contractors with expertise in autonomous maritime systems, low-signature vessel design, and cargo handling in hostile conditions.