Judge Reinstates Saildrone in Navy Drone Boat Fight, Faulting Contract Exclusion

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 3

A federal claims judge ruled on Nov. 3 that the Navy improperly excluded Saildrone from a competition to build a new unmanned vessel, calling the review of its proposal arbitrary and capricious.
Saildrone had been cut after the initial phase and barred from an at-sea demonstration, effectively ending its chances in a potentially lucrative program funded with money from President Donald Trump’s domestic policy law.
The Alameda, California-based company sued alongside Blue Water Autonomy, arguing the Navy’s evaluation process was flawed.
Judge Philip S. Hadji sided only with Saildrone, finding disparate treatment, while upholding the Navy’s separate decision to eliminate Blue Water Autonomy.
The ruling marks a notable win for a smaller defense-technology company in a closely watched Navy drone boat contest.

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Can Saildrone successfully secure the lucrative unmanned-vessel contract now that the Navy is forced to give their proposal a second look?

With $1.5 billion frozen, how severely will this legal battle delay the rollout of the Navy's next-generation autonomous drone fleet?

How will a judge's ruling on a $2.1 billion Navy contract permanently alter how the military buys prototype technology?

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