Ocean Explorer (OEX) Large Underwater Vehicle Demonstrator

Amendment 006 - Posted 30 January 2026 (Please see updated attachments) Amendment 005 - Posted 22 December 2025 (Please see updated attachments) Amendment 004 - Posted 26 September 2025 (Please see updated attachment) Amendment 003 - Posted 20 Aug 2025 (Please see updated attachment) Amendment 002 - Posted 24 Jul 2025 (Please see updated attachments) Amendment 001 - Posted 24 Jun 2025 (Please see updated attachments) The Office of Naval Research (ONR) seeks potential performers who are interested in pursuing the rapid design, build, and testing of OEX, an ultra-large autonomous undersea vehicle capable of conducting extended ocean scale missions while carrying a large modular payload. Innovation is sought both in terms of ultra-large undersea vehicle technology and in rapid prototype design and fabrication. The BAA Call initially seeks white papers followed by a full costed proposal covering an OEX “Preliminary Design” phase (Phase 1A) with a “Detailed Design” option (Phase 1B). The purpose of the OEX Preliminary Design is to establish the technical feasibility of the vehicle (with a payload module) and to lay out the operational and maintenance infrastructure required to support a hypothetical OEX “squadron”.