Textron Systems Corporation continues to build out its mine countermeasure packages for marine defense programs that employ magnetic and acoustics technology to find and destroy underwater mines. Recent awards from the U.S. Navy include a $106 million contract for mine sweeping payload delivery systems plus a $100 million contract for software updates. Across the pond, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, re-branded now to TKMS, continues to advance its systems under contracts with the Royal Navy.
Textron’s payload contract covers production, spares and engineering services for its Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle system to complete mine sweeping missions semi-autonomously, advancing the system’s capabilities. The Minesweeping PDS will sweep for magnetic, acoustic and magnetic/acoustic combination mines using a towed acoustic generator and magnetic minesweeping cable.
“The MCM mission package advances the Navy’s abilities with USVs, providing additional security for our sailors,” said David Phillips, Senior Vice President Air, Land and Sea Systems. “Textron Systems excels at integration work across our air, land and sea domains. The PDS award builds on that expertise and allows the Navy to take integration one step further through production and fielding, resulting in a semi-autonomous solution.”
Textron Systems has supported the Navy’s Unmanned Influence Sweep System design/production contract award since 2014, developing the first mine-sweep payload delivery system designed for uncrewed surface vessel operations. In 2022, Textron Systems achieved Initial operational capability for UISS. It was also awarded the Magnetic and Acoustic Generation Next Unmanned Superconducting Sweep award in 2023 to support the Office of Naval Research to develop new non-towed sweep system capabilities to supplement legacy towed mine-sweep systems. The recent contract was awarded in 2024.
The software contract came in April 2025 covering a three-year period of performance to support software development updates for mine countermeasures including potential future packages for unmanned magnetic and acoustic sweep and neutralization payloads.
Developing autonomous mine sweeper technology for Royal Navy
In the UK, the British Royal Navy this summer commissioned a new autonomous mine hunting system into active service, enabling the deployment of uncrewed technology to locate and neutralize naval mines. Designed by TKMS Atlas UK, formerly known as Atlas Elektronik and a business unit of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, the SWEEP systems are designed to remove personnel from hazardous mine-clearing operations. In June, the company rebranded to TKMS.
SWEEP employs advanced technology to counter modern digital sea mines, which are designed to detect and target nearby ships and submarines. Equipped with sense-and-avoid functionality, It can operate safely alongside other autonomous systems active in maritime mine counter measures. The uncrewed system can replicate a ship’s signature, including the magnetic signature, tricking sea mines into detonating safely.
Comprising an uncrewed surface vessel and advanced payloads, SWEEP can be remotely operated from the air or surface. “The Royal Navy receiving its first fully autonomous minesweeping system is truly transformational,” said Jonathan Reed-Beviere, program director for Royal Navy.
