15 April 2024
Camp Pendleton, CA, USA & Sydney, Australia: Australian specialist and tactical watercraft manufacturer, The Whiskey Project Group (TWPG), has successfully delivered the first two (2) 11-metre Whiskey Bravo – Multi Mission Reconnaissance Craft (MMRC), to the United States Marine Corps (USMC) at the Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, in Southern California. The vessels have been accepted by the Marine Corps War Fighting Lab (MCWL) and are being used extensively by the reconnaissance Marines to host and trial a number of different mission payloads.
In one of the first industry-led examples of AUKUS Pillar II technology collaboration and sharing, the Whiskey Bravo incorporates almost 50 US and Australian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including a range of world-leading systems, sensors, modular mission sets and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance (ISR) systems. The trials have included analysing a wide range of critical mission-specific payloads built specifically for USMC operational theatres, as well as trialling a series of multi-scenario combat operations.
This delivery of the first two (2) Whiskey Bravo follows a comprehensive competitive evaluation process in which TWPG was awarded a USD $20.5 million (AUD $33.8 million) contract to supply a number of both its 8-metre Whiskey Alpha and 11-metre Whiskey Bravo vessels to the USMC. TWPG Co-Founder and CEO Darren Schuback said: “From the very outset, The Whiskey Project Group’s mission was to redefine tactical watercraft and create a new generation of safer, completely networked, combat-ready fit for purpose platforms, based on our own naval special operations experience.”
“We’re extremely appreciative of the U.S. Department of Defense and USMC’s focus on innovation-sharing opportunities with life-long allies like Australia. The contracting process enabled by DIU makes it easier for private sector companies to rapidly fill real time capability gaps faced by war fighters and combatant commanders,” Mr Schuback said.
The US DIU and USMCs contracting of TWPG is a tangible example of Australia continuing to expand, evolve and innovate in Australia’s defence cooperation with the US in areas like maritime patrol, by combining strengths and pooling resources across sovereign borders.
TWPG continue to engage with the Australian defence delivering cutting edge watercraft solutions and will look to participate in LAND 8710-3 for the delivery of vessels to the Australian Army’s re-configured littoral manoeuvre brigade.
-ENDS-
For further information please contact: Sarah Cullens: +61 411 166 305 or sarah@precisionpublicaffairs.com
Notes for editors:
ABOUT THE WHISKEY PROJECT GROUP
TWPG combines Australian maritime special operations experience with decades of design and manufacturing excellence, back by domestic and global supply chains of highly-specialised marine and military technology partners.
TWPG watercraft are purpose-built to perform in the most challenging conditions, drawing on the veteran founders’ special operations experience in contemporary maritime and littoral warfare.
Named after the military callsign for specialist water operators, The Whiskey Project Group was founded by former Australian Navy Clearance Divers (Frogmen) who set out to create the watercraft they wished they’d had.
TWPG is a trusted and proven Australian maritime engineering and technology company with 50+ years’ experience spanning end-to-end design, manufacturing, maintenance and sustainment of high performance and specialist watercraft.
ABOUT US DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT
The US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the Department of Defense (DoD)to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale.
DIU is the only DoD organization focused exclusively on fielding and scaling commercial technology across the U.S. military at commercial speeds.
