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The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program recently completed a successful first test of at-sea refuelling designed for use with the program’s Defiant unmanned surface vessel (USV).
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The US Navy’s PMS-406 (Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office) and USV Squadron 1 (USVRON-1) recently conducted a test using two PMS-406 experimental USVs, Ranger and Mariner.
USV Defiant is designed for autonomous, long-duration operations at sea, with no provisions, allowances, or expectations for human presence on board.
Refuelling at sea (FAS) for USVs presents a unique challenge, as current FAS methods rely on personnel to manage lines and hoses on the vessel being refuelled. Incorporating human involvement on USVs imposes significant design and operational constraints, requiring safety considerations for onboard personnel, even for short durations. Transporting people to a USV in adverse sea conditions can also be risky and dangerous.
The NOMARS (No Manning Required, Ship) FAS approach is specifically designed for operations without human involvement on the USV. However, humans are present on the refuelling vessel.
The FAS concept closely aligns with standard refuelling procedures familiar to Military Sealift Command (MSC) oiler crews, minimising their training requirements. DARPA has collaborated closely with MSC’s Taluga Group throughout the NOMARS program to refine the FAS system and its operational procedures.
During a recent test, the USV Ranger carried a receiving station simulating the system intended for the NOMARS USV Defiant, while the USV Mariner carried a custom-designed refuelling “mini-station” developed by NOMARS prime contractor Serco. Although personnel were aboard both vessels for the event, no humans were involved in receiving-side operations.
The team demonstrated all operational components, including passing the lead line, connecting the refuelling probe, and pumping water. This marked the system’s first on-water test, with all operations successfully executed. DARPA acknowledged the critical contributions of Navy PMS-406 and USVRON-1 to the success of the test.
The next FAS trial will involve Defiant during her sea trials. The 180-foot, 240-metric-ton lightship is nearing construction completion and is slated for a multi-month at-sea demonstration beginning in spring 2025.
