ThayerMahan's Outpost unmanned surveillance system highlighted in news story about submarine production delays

GROTON, Conn., Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the midst of White House and Pentagon negotiations regarding delays and cost overruns in submarine production, ThayerMahan, a global leader in undersea surveillance technology, recently responded to a media inquiry about its Outpost system. The core question was whether its unmanned, long-duration acoustic sensing systems are able to augment submarine surveillance missions.

"What we have is truly a 'disruptive technology,'" Mike Connor, ThayerMahan Chairman and CEO told The Day of New London, CT, which covers nearby submarine manufacturer General Dynamics Electric Boat. "We're proposing to do things for a lot less money."

Connor is a retired Vice Admiral who commanded the U.S. Submarine Force during his time in the U.S. Navy. Connor told The Day that he and others foresaw labor shortages and supply chain challenges years ago when submarine production was at a post-WW II all-time low. That lull resulted in significant reductions in the manufacturing base that fed components to GD's Electric Boat, and markedly diminished the skilled workforce necessary to build one of the nation's most sophisticated defense assets.

Just days after Connor was interviewed to explain how Outpost can aid in filling known and anticipated undersea surveillance mission gaps, the White House asked Congress for $7.3 billion in emergency funding to keep sub production on pace.

Each submarine costs about $5 billion and construction takes six to seven years. In addition, subs require a crew of about 130 sailors to operate.

One Outpost system costs about $2 million and requires a few months of construction time. The 22-foot unmanned vessels are powered by solar, wind, and wave energy, can employ an array of sophisticated listening devices similar to those deployed by submarines, and deliver high-quality sensor data ashore in near-real time.

This scenario means a fleet of small, unmanned Outpost platforms can cover vast areas of ocean around the globe while providing submarine commanders with valuable and timely maritime awareness on and below the surface.

Former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson (USN Ret.) noted that "We need sensors, we need as many sensors as we can get out there. Sampling density is key. And so, autonomous, high-quality, connected, persistent sensors, at an affordable price are fundamental. Outpost provides all of those qualities. It is exactly the type of sensor we need." 

After learning of the White House request for an emergency $7.3 billion in additional sub funding, Connor issued the following statement:

"Since there is no plan on the table that will solve the submarine shortfall in the next 20 years, some funding should shift to mitigating the impact of that shortfall. Outpost is one method for filling the gap in undersea warfare capacity. Taking 10% of the $7B proposed for long-term improvement in the submarine industrial base and using it to fill the near-term gap in undersea capacity would be a good place to start.

"We will always need submarines because they can fire missiles and deploy special forces, but we cannot build them fast enough to meet the increasing threats across the globe," Connor said. "There is too much ocean and too many bad actors with advanced technology for our sub fleet to keep up with."

Adding to the production challenge is the agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., known as AUKUS, for the U.S. to provide three to five subs to Australia to keep China's military in check.

U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney of Connecticut's 2^nd District and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces told The Day the Outpost system is a worthy option for the Navy.

"The bottom line is the (submarine) fleet needs to grow and AUKUS is a big commitment," Courtney said. "ThayerMahan is a really positive option for the Navy to make sure the undersea domain is going to be covered. It's always been Mike Connor's view that ThayerMahan can extend the reach of submarines, allowing them to concentrate on other things (besides surveillance).

"It shows we have options to make sure undersea threats are deterred."

Media Contact: Dr. Kevin Lopes
Vice President, Marketing
120B Leonard Drive
Groton, CT 06340
860-937-6499
www.thayermahan.com

SOURCE ThayerMahan, Inc.