US Navy adds Persistent Systems to FoS USV IDIQ contract

April 15, 2025

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Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”), a leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET), announced today the U.S. Navy has selected the company as one of 88 participants for a $982.1 million, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to support current and future data links for unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

The USV Family of Systems (FoS) contract, first awarded in 2020, now includes 88 contractors supporting the Navy’s effort to integrate USVs into its fleet. Building on its experience working with the Unmanned Systems divisions of Naval Surface Warfare Centers and Naval Information Warfare Centers, Persistent Systems will supply its MANET solutions to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to enable secure, resilient data links for RDT&E efforts in support of the Navy’s USV program.

“As a leading provider of MANET solutions for this contract, we will serve as the critical data link for maritime unmanned reconnaissance vehicles, supporting numerous mission sets, including maritime domain awareness, sea control/sea denial, and swarming operations,” said Ed Leopold, Director of Business Development at Persistent Systems. “This is essential for maintaining real-time situational awareness for expeditionary forces and supporting collaborative autonomy of unmanned systems.”

The company’s MPU5 networking devices leverage their highly scalable Wave Relay® MANET to seamlessly connect users in a true peer-to-peer fashion, allowing for the high-throughput transfer of voice, video, text, sensor data, and GPS information without needing external infrastructure.

“As the U.S. Navy emphasizes the need for manned and unmanned formations, we are seeing the shift from pilot programs and proof of concepts towards the implementation of validated USV upgrades as part of their Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA),” says Leopold.

This IDIQ contract builds on Persistent’s ongoing work with the Navy. Over the past few months, the company has supported several naval efforts:

In July, the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific awarded Persistent a contract to network USVs, individual operators, ships, and ground control stations;
Persistent Systems supported networking efforts during Valiant Shield, a joint exercise conducted every two years across the INDOPACOM Area of Responsibility and;
During the Paris Olympics, the French navy used Persistent’s MANET technology on vessels and shore infrastructure to secure a sailing competition.

“We look forward to building on these relationships, and this selection reinforces our position as a trusted supplier for the U.S. Navy,” Leopold concluded.

Source : Persistent Systems