Currently, the U.S. Navy relies on helicopters to transfer cargo from ship-to-ship. However, most of those items are less than 10lbs. An unmanned cargo delivery platform is being tested out for this role and the concept would likely become a program of record.
210221-N-OO801-1007 NORFOLK, Va. (Feb. 21, 2021) The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Beach Detachment in collaboration with Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) tested the abilities of a Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS to deliver a package to the ship from MARMC Headquarters on Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. MARMC provides surface ship maintenance, management and oversight of private sector maintenance and fleet technical assistance to ships in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and provides support to the fifth and sixth Fleet Area of Responsibilities. They are also responsible for the floating dry-dock Dynamic (AFDL-6). (U.S. Navy Photo by Chris Wyatt/Released).
Tony Schmidt, director of rapid prototyping, experimentation, and demonstration, said at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space expo that the Skyways unmanned aerial vehicle currently under testing might not be eventually chosen for the program but the lessons learned will be incorporated into it. The drone might also adopt a delta wing design.
