USX-1 Defiant Christened, Breakthrough into Autonomous Maritime Operations

[By: Serco Inc.]

Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, engineering, and management services, announced the christening of the USX-1 Defiant, the groundbreaking demonstrator vessel for DARPA’s No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program. The ceremony took place on Monday, August 11, at Everett Ship Repair in Everett, Washington, signalling a pivotal moment in Serco’s future of naval architecture and autonomous operations.

"We christened a vessel that embodies a new spirit of innovation," stated Tom Watson, CEO of Serco Inc. "The Defiant re-imagines naval architecture, freeing us from the constraints of human habitation to create a ship capable of operating autonomously at sea. This aligns with the Nation’s mission of delivering a distributed, highly capable USV fleet that can operate in contested waters and high-threat environments, extending the reach of our Navy --- without putting our sailors at risk.”

The USX-1 Defiant represents a radical departure from traditional ship design, conceived from the keel up with no provision or expectation for human crew. This “clean-sheet” approach aims to deliver unprecedented advantages in size, cost, at-sea reliability, hydrodynamic efficiency, and survivability, ultimately enabling a new class of highly capable and cost-effective unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

Following its christening, the USX-1 Defiant soon will begin an at-sea demonstration of its reliability and endurance. The program aims to validate the core NOMARS concept, paving the way for significant advancements in unmanned naval capabilities.

Follow updates on the Defiant’s progress online at http://www.darpa.mil/nomars.