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The Australian specialist and tactical watercraft manufacturer The Whiskey Project has confirmed it has delivered two multi-mission reconnaissance craft to the US Marine Corps.
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The group secured the contract following a comprehensive competitive evaluation process which saw The Whiskey project awarded a AU$33.8 million contract for a number of its eight-metre Whiskey Alpha and 11-metre Whiskey Bravo vessels.
The vessels were accepted by the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, from where reconnaissance Marines will use the watercraft to host and trial a range of payloads.
A spokesperson for the group welcomed the ongoing collaboration between the Australian company and the US Marine Corps, suggesting that it represents one of the first industry-led examples of AUKUS Pillar II technology sharing.
The Whiskey Bravo vessel brings together almost 50 US and Australian original equipment manufacturers across systems, sensors modular mission sets, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
The group leveraged their special operations experience to build safer and more deployable assets, TWPG co-founder and chief executive officer Darren Schuback said.
“From the very outset, The Whiskey Project Group’s (TWPG) mission was to redefine tactical watercraft and create a new generation of safer, completely networked, combat-ready, fit-for-purpose platforms based on our own naval special operations experience,” he explained.
“We’re extremely appreciative of the US Department of Defense and USMC’s focus on innovation-sharing opportunities with lifelong allies like Australia. The contracting process enabled by DIU makes it easier for private sector companies to rapidly fill real time capability gaps faced by warfighters and combatant commanders.”
The company has also confirmed that it is looking to participate in LAND 8710-3 for the delivery of vessels as part of Army’ s reconfigured littoral manoeuvre brigade.
In November, the group received applause from Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd.
“Australia’s defence science and technology industry sector is one about which I have enormous confidence for the future,” he explained.
“What a marvellous story this represents. (Darren) Only got out of the white uniform in 2019 and had an idea about what he could do – based on his own experience – in designing the boat which was most necessary for commando- and marine-type operations,” ambassador Rudd added.
Named after the military callsign for specialist water operators, The Whiskey Project Group was founded by former Australian Navy clearance divers.
TWPG comprises several trans-Tasman maritime technology and naval architecture companies delivering end-to-end design, engineering, manufacturing, maintenance and sustainment of high-performance military and emergency services watercraft.
