The US Navy has certified Rolls-Royce’s mtu Series 4000 and 2000 marine engines for tactical unmanned surface vessel (USV) applications.
The milestone allows the propulsion technologies to power platforms for 30-day deployments without onboard human intervention, maintenance, or repairs.
Approvals were issued under Washington’s National Defense Authorization Act, in which the engines passed benchmarks for autonomous systems use.
Throughout the evaluations, the Series 4000 completed double 720-hour durability trials, earning approval for up to 4,300 kilowatts of propulsion power and 3,000 kilowatts of power generation.
Meanwhile, the Series 2000 achieved certification following extensive component evaluations and field operations, supporting propulsion applications up to 1,939 kilowatts.
Continuing Decades of Support
According to Rolls-Royce, the qualification expands operational options for the US Navy as it deploys more USVs to extend fleet reach while sustaining personnel security across high-risk theaters.
The company added that it complements the enterprise’s broader unmanned defense portfolio, which consists of propulsion systems for aerial platforms such as the service’s MQ-4C Triton and MQ-25A Stingray as well as the US Air Force’s RQ-4 Global Hawk.
The certification follows the military’s deployment of its first division of drone boats earlier this year that involved the Sea Hunter powered by the company’s twin mtu 12V 2000 engines.
“For decades, mtu engines have been trusted to provide reliable, mission-ready power for our crews at sea,” said Scott Hanson, vice president of governmental sales at Rolls-Royce Power Systems in North America.
“As autonomous missions become increasingly important to naval strategy, we are proving that we can deliver the power systems, long-endurance capability and technology required for the new operational demands of unmanned vessels.”
