What Happened
Maritime Tech Firms Challenge Rejection Of Proposals
Maritime tech startup Blue Water Autonomy and maritime drone manufacturer Saildrone have filed lawsuits against the US Navy, alleging that their proposals for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) marketplace were unfairly rejected. The companies claim that their designs met the Navy’s requirements, but were eliminated from the competition based on conclusions that don’t align with the request for proposals. The lawsuits seek injunctions to halt further testing and contract awards, and to require the Navy to reevaluate their proposals. The dispute highlights the challenges of acquiring new technologies through the Navy’s procurement process, and may have implications for the development of unmanned surface vessels. The story was first reported by Breaking Defense.