SubSea Craft has introduced a patent-pending modular payload cassette system for the MARS USV, aimed at delivering mission-configurable effects in contested environments.
According to the company, the expeditionary design uses dedicated cassettes that a two-person team can install, remove, and swap while deployed. This approach allows the MARS USV to be reconfigured quickly for different tasks, shortening integration timelines and speeding the adoption of new payloads.
Company officials said the concept was shaped by end user input, with the goal of helping the platform keep pace with evolving operational needs while preserving a simple, deployable operating model.
Potential payloads include loitering munitions, miniature torpedoes, unmanned aerial vehicles, sonobuoys, and other mission-specific equipment, all delivered from a common core platform.
The new cassette architecture has already enabled the integration of the Anduril ALTIUS loitering munition, demonstrating that MARS can field new effectors through a straightforward cassette change without altering the vessel itself.
Tom Harkin, SubSea Craft’s Chief Commercial Officer, said the cassette system is designed to streamline payload integration so operators do not need to modify the vessel each time. He added that rapid integration and deployment of new payloads is becoming more important, and the system offers greater flexibility in how users configure and employ the MARS platform.
MARS USV modularity and modular payload cassette system
SubSea Craft said the modular cassette approach is intended to future-proof the MARS USV by allowing rapid updates as requirements change, while keeping the core vessel unchanged.