World’s First Dual-Use USV Exposed

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A UAE-based maritime company has revealed the launch of its latest offering, the B7X.

The new model, which can be utilized for both manned and unmanned operations, is also being dubbed as the world’s first mass-produced dual-use unmanned surface vehicle (USV) being made available for commercial purposes.

The company, Al Marakeb, manufactures, assembles, integrates and tests all its models, including the B7X, in the UAE.  

The B7X can be used for a wide variety of potential defense and civil applications, including vessel monitoring, law enforcement, automated commercial transportation, search & rescue and surveillance, to name a few. The vessel was designed and developed with a high-end autonomous control system to assist the country’s naval forces.

According to tradearabia.com, the new USV model comes equipped with a MAP Pro conversion kit, a technology that is created by MAP Marine Technologies (MAP-Tech), a local maritime autonomy experts and a subsidiary of Al Marakeb, which converts regular manned vessels to unmanned models–allowing the boat to be driven as a regular vessel or be operated remotely from a ground control station.

The B7X is highly capable of autonomous mission execution and also features a collision avoidance alert system that utilizes radar, AIS and EO/IR situational awareness feedback. Moreover, the boat can be monitored and controlled from across various points in the globe through the MAP global network and can perform for 48 hours straight before refueling.

The B7X measures in length at 8.2 m  with a beam of 2.2 m. The vessel has a dry weight of 3,000 kg and has a fuel capacity of 450 liters.

The B7X can run up to a maximum speed of 50 knots at a range of 450 nautical miles per 15 knots.