The U.S. Army’s 160th SOAR has landed an MH-47G Chinook on an autonomous Sea Machines barge for the first time, advancing naval logistics and drone integration.
Sea Machines Robotics has announced that an MH-47G Chinook operated by the Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR) successfully conducted landing and replenishment operations from one of its unmanned, autonomous barges.
This flight test marks the first time disclosed to the broader public that a U.S. Helicopter, let alone one operating with one of America’s premier Airborne Special Operations Forces, landed and replenished from a vessel of this type under autonomous operation. Sea Machines also clarified that these barges can replenish surface vessels and shore installations alongside rotorcraft.
Naval News previously reported on when Sea Machines first received notice to manufacture and trial one of these autonomous conversion kits, designated as the SM300, back in early 2021 with a total of $3.1 million dollars dedicated to development and deployment efforts. Since then, the efforts mostly remained out of the public eye, with Sea Machines working with the Department of Defense to bring the project to fruition.
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