Textron nets contract to develop mine countermeasure system that doesn’t need towing
The MAGNUSS onboard payload system follows on from the towed mine sweep Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) pictured above, which is integrated onto USVs. (Photo: Textron Systems)
Removing the need to tow an array would allow mine countermeasure USVs to access previously hard-to-reach areas.
The US Office of Naval Research (ONR) has awarded a new contract to Textron to build a new mine countermeasures (MCM) payload for MCM USVs that does not need towing.
Worth $20.7 million, the contract covers development of the Magnetic and Acoustic Generation Next Unmanned Superconducting Sweep (MAGNUSS) MCM technology.
The payload comprises a high-temperature superconducting magnetic source with advanced acoustic gear.
MAGNUSS is an ONR-sponsored future naval capability effort expected to transition into a Naval Sea Systems Command programme to equip the MCM USV.
Work on the contract is expected to be concluded by March 2026.
Textron Systems project
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![How Canada plans to use the River-class programme to revitalise its defence industry]()
How Canada plans to use the River-class programme to revitalise its defence industry
The Canadian DND estimates that the construction of destroyers will annually inject C$720 million (US$515 million) into the country’s GDP.
-
![The FDI frigate: a growing success story with more opportunities to come]()
The FDI frigate: a growing success story with more opportunities to come
Designed as a multi-role frigate with both anti-submarine and air defence capabilities, Naval Group’s medium-sized FDI frigate increasingly stands out as a success story in an industry wrought with delays.
-
![US weighs offshore warship production due to industrial limits]()
US weighs offshore warship production due to industrial limits
A Pentagon push to procure warships from Japanese and South Korean shipyards could reshape allied naval industrial strategy, but critics warn the approach risks hollowing out the domestic base Washington is seeking to restore.
-
![Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA]()
Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA
The accelerated delivery of the final Flight IIA destroyer, USS Patrick Gallagher, showcases the payoff of years of workforce investment and process reform at Bath Iron Works, with the lessons feeding into Flight III production.
