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Australian Bluebottle Hybrid USV Debuts at AUKUS Maritime Big Play Pacific With Diesel Power
Australia's Ocius deployed two diesel-augmented Bluebottle Hybrid uncrewed surface vessels to AUKUS Maritime Big Play Pacific, marking the variant's first naval exercise appearance. The 7.4-meter craft adds a generator to the Bluebottle's solar, sail and wave-powered architecture, providing extra electrical power for demanding sensors and low-light operations. Both exercise vessels carry ThayerMahan Outpost acoustic payloads with TransparenSea processing, a suite ordered for the Royal Australian Navy's 40-vessel SEA1200 program. The October exercise tests interoperability and persistent undersea surveillance applications, although no Hybrid endurance or sonar-detection results have been released.