Key Takeaways

• Blue Water Autonomy and Saildrone have filed lawsuits challenging their exclusion from the U.S. Navy’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel acquisition program.
• Both companies claim their proposals were not fairly evaluated and request to be reinstated to compete in the ongoing procurement process.
• The Navy’s MUSV program stems from a previous program’s cancellation, aiming for more versatile unmanned vessel solutions.

Legal Disputes Over Navy’s MUSV Program

Two defense technology companies, Blue Water Autonomy and Saildrone, have filed lawsuits in federal court challenging their exclusion from the U.S. Navy’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) acquisition program. The companies claim the Navy did not adhere to its evaluation requirements and made unjust decisions regarding their proposals.

Blue Water Autonomy argues that its exclusion stemmed from “overly restrictive evaluation criteria” and a misinterpretation of its proposal. Their legal complaint emphasized the inconsistency of conclusions drawn against statutory requirements. However, substantial details in their legal documents were redacted, leaving unclear what precisely the Navy identified as flaws in their submission.

The Navy has remained silent on the ongoing litigation. The MUSV program was initiated after the discontinuation of the Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) program, which aimed for the development of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) with specific mission capabilities. The current MUSV program broadens the mission scope and implements a more extensive solicitation process.

Rebecca Gassler, the Navy’s portfolio acquisition executive for robotic and autonomous systems, stated that the transition to the MUSV program was necessary to address a broader array of operational needs.

The MUSV solicitation, which was open until mid-April, assessed various aspects of proposals, including business and manufacturing plans, testing strategies, and technical designs. Selected companies proceeded towards an on-water test with surrogate vessels scheduled for later this fiscal year. The Navy announced its selection of seven companies for this phase on June 1, and Blue Water Autonomy was notably absent from this list.

Blue Water Autonomy criticized the Navy’s decision as “capricious,” arguing for a halt in testing and funding until their case is resolved and they are allowed to reenter the competitor pool for the MUSV contract.

Meanwhile, Saildrone faced disqualification from the MUSV program, despite claiming substantial experience with its fleet of USVs. According to Saildrone, their submission met all requirements, and they had been led to believe they were advancing in the competition. The company expressed discontent over their disqualification, stating they learned of it through a news article rather than direct communication from the Navy.

Saildrone also claims that their evaluation was fundamentally flawed and is seeking to be reinstated for on-water tests. They argue that continuing in the competition would benefit public interests without incurring significant costs to the government.

The fiscal 2027 Navy budget plans to procure 63 unmanned vessels, backed by $2.1 billion allocated under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, underscoring the importance of these programs to the U.S. Navy’s operational future.

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