ESSEX, U.K.—SEA-KIT International announced its first uncrewed surface vessel export sale to Connecticut-based ThayerMahan, which provides autonomous maritime systems to government, industry and academia.

The X-Class USV’s award-winning combination of extended range, high sea state endurance and payload capacity attracted ThayerMahan initially to the Essex, U.K.-based SEA-KIT.

Mike Connor, President and CEO at ThayerMahan, said: “We are always striving to improve the efficiency of maritime domain awareness and to keep people safe,” ThayerMahan President and CEO Mike Connor said in a press release. “SEA-KIT’s flexible payload design enables us to host multiple, sophisticated maritime sensing systems onboard, which in turn will support ThayerMahan to continue leading the field of remote and autonomous mobile acoustic sensing and sense making.”

“We envisage that the introduction of this high-tech USV to our portfolio will enhance the protection of ports and vessels at sea as well as have a positive impact on illicit trafficking across international borders,” Connor said.

ThayerMahan plans to use the SEA-KIT USV to support introduction of the technology into government service, as well as for its own commercial activities in U.S. and international waters.

Ben Simpson, SEA-KIT CEO, said: “The U.K. is forging a leadership stance in maritime autonomous systems innovation and we are proud to be part of that,” said SEA-KIT CEO Ben Simpson. “We look forward to a fruitful, ongoing partnership with ThayerMahan and to supporting their current and future maritime domain awareness goals.”

ThayerMahan is set to take delivery of the latest 12-meter SEA-KIT X-Class design in the spring of 2023, with plans for it to enter operation over the summer.