A partnership between the University of Southern Mississippi and Integer Technologies, a research and development tech company, is bearing fruit.
Southern Miss officials announced Wednesday that the partners were recently awarded a $25 million “ceiling” contract. The funding will go toward the develop of maritime software for the U.S. Navy, specifically to increase the military branch’s seabed warfare capabilities.
Researchers and developers with both Southern Miss and Integer will work to improve the data collection ability of unmanned vessels by boosting their decision-making capacity and allowing them to better identify seafloor objects.
“This award demonstrates The University of Southern Mississippi’s reputation as a leader in ocean research and blue economy innovation,” Dr. Kelly Lucas, Vice President for Research at Southern Miss, said.
Integer joins a growing number of defense tech companies like Ocean Aero and Skydweller Aero, putting down roots on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As part of the expanded partnership between Southern Miss and Integer, the company will locate an office in the Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise at the Port of Gulfport.
“USM’s oceanography expertise will combine with Integer’s predictive technology to help us explore and master the ocean floor, Earth’s last frontier,” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said in the announcement release. “These unmanned, subsurface vessels will boost the United States’ edge in undersea warfare and support the bustling blue economy along Mississippi’s coast.”
