A U.S. Army MH-47G Chinook from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment successfully landed and replenished on a Sea Machines autonomous barge using the SM300 autonomy kit, showing a new option for at-sea helicopter sustainment and expeditionary logistics.
A 160th SOAR MH-47G Chinook completed a publicized landing and replenishment on a Sea Machines autonomous barge equipped with the SM300 autonomy kit.
Autonomous barges can support helicopters, surface vessels, and shore sites, expanding options for rearming, refueling, and extending helicopter operational reach.
# What happened
# The platform and kit Sea Machines' autonomy conversion is identified as the SM300. The company began work on this approach after receiving an initial notice in early 2021 and had about $3.1 million allocated to development and deployment efforts. The SM300 is intended as a drop-in or retrofit solution that provides common autonomy architecture, hardware, and software to a wide range of vessel types and sizes.
# What the capability enables Autonomous replenishment at sea creates additional basing and logistics options for helicopters that otherwise rely on forward bases, ships with flight decks, or limited-range operations. The SM300-equipped barges have been demonstrated on platforms large enough to accept one of the U.S.'s largest helicopters and on smaller vessels roughly the size of a rigid hull inflatable boat (20–30 feet). According to Sea Machines, the barges can resupply surface ships and shore installations as well as support rotorcraft.
# Operational context and related developments The landing ties into broader efforts to extend helicopter reach and sustainment at sea. Rearming and resupply remain pressing concerns as helicopters adopt longer-range munitions and payloads. The article connects this barge capability to several trends:
# Why this matters now Adding autonomous surface platforms that can host, resupply, or otherwise support helicopters gives commanders more flexibility for expeditionary operations and distributed maritime logistics. For Army and Marine helicopters that lack organic shipborne basing, an autonomous barge can act as a mobile forward landing and logistics node without requiring a manned ship or established shore site.
# What Sea Machines and the military are pursuing next Sea Machines has continued work with the Department of Defense since the SM300's early funding and has demonstrated the autonomy package on various craft. Separate Sea Machines contracts, including an IDIQ arrangement reported elsewhere, aim to make "drop-in" autonomy kits rapidly deployable for Special Operations Forces, enabling quick conversion of vessels of opportunity to autonomous command-and-control roles.
# Bottom line
Sea Machines has secured a 5-year IDIQ contract to supply U.S. Special Operations Forces with rapid "drop-in" vessel autonomy and command kits. The post U.S. Special Operations Forces Tap Sea Machines for Vessel Autonomy Kits appeared first on Naval News .
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