The notification of the draft RFP was issued on beta.sam.gov on 29 October 2020. The LDUUV RFP documents (including draft release of documents), Bidder’s Library, and communications with industry (including Industry engagement) contain controlled information and their access is restricted.
The beta.sam.gov page on LDUUV provides the following information on the program:
The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) intends to issue a solicitation, N00024-20-R-6302, for the award of a contract for the design, development, and fabrication of the Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV), also known as Snakehead. Snakehead is a long-endurance, multi-mission UUV, deployed from submarine large ocean interfaces, with the capability to deploy reconfigurable payloads. The LDUUV will provide guidance and control, navigation, autonomy, situational awareness, core communications, power distribution, energy and power, propulsion and maneuvering, other hotel functionality, and sensors in support of the Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE) mission. As a submarine launched UUV, the LDUUV will achieve full integration with the Modernized Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) and Payload Handling System (PHS) equipped submarines.
As previously announced, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) won a contract award to develop and demonstrate a prototype Lithium-ion Fault Tolerant LiFT battery system for the LDUUV prototype.
Naval News understands that the LDUUV is likely to be deployed from submarines’ Dry Deck Shelters (DDS) typically used for Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDV) since the Snakehead’s large diameter won’t fit in a standard torpedo tube (533 mm).
