CETUS Autonomous Vessel Trials and Evaluation

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is seeking trials and evaluation services for the CETUS autonomous underwater vehicle currently under development by M Subs. This opportunity involves conducting comprehensive testing to reduce technical risk and demonstrate military capability through payload integration and performance assessment. Due to M Subs' exclusive technical expertise as the sole designer and manufacturer of CETUS, they are uniquely qualified to safely operate the vessel during initial trials. These trials will repeat and expand upon previous successful S201 XLAUV trials conducted under Project Manta, ensuring consistency and efficiency while the system is further developed and validated. Initial trials are restricted to M Subs as the sole operator; however, following successful completion and broader system understanding, the SDA intends to open future operational contracts to competitive bidding. Separately, the SDA plans to competitively procure diverse payloads and sensor systems from the open market in subsequent phases, creating opportunities for multiple suppliers to contribute to advancing autonomous maritime military capabilities.