HyperKelp Awarded $1.3 Million U.S. Navy Contract for Groundbreaking Counter-Hypersonic Detection Technology
Encinitas, CA — HyperKelp has been awarded a $1.3 million contract by the United States Navy, solidifying its position as the only company selected to advance buoy-based counter-hypersonic sensing technology. This award builds on the success of HyperKelp’s Kelp Smart Buoy (KSB) platform, a compact sonobuoy system that delivers vital, surface-based intelligence on hypersonic threats.
“This award from the Navy underscores the urgent need for competitive technologies that can identify and respond to hypersonic threats in real time,” said Dr. Graeme Rae, CEO of HyperKelp. “This bridges key gaps in missile defense, giving our warfighters the decision advantage they need in high-stakes environments.”
Phase II efforts will deploy the KSB with a sensor suite capable of detecting hypersonic aircraft from the ocean’s surface. The buoy system integrates with US Navy command and control systems, enabling real-time intelligence sharing across all DoD networks.
The Silent Swarm Experimentation Team has praised the technology’s promise: “Overall, the KSB technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of missile defense and early warning systems. The technology’s ability to detect hypersonic activity, combined with its expandability and adaptability, makes it a valuable asset for the nation’s defense.” Silent Swarm is a series of events focused on experimentation with early development electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) capabilities that can be employed on attritable, multi-domain unmanned systems
Costas Soler, HyperKelp’s CTO, explained “Our technology is deployable at scale. This provides our customers with reliable intelligence across vast areas of ocean, protecting mission-critical assets against our adversaries’ evolving hypersonic threats.”
HyperKelp’s counter-hypersonic KSB units have undergone rigorous testing and validation at government-sponsored events, such as SOCOM Trident Spectre 2024 and Silent Swarm. HyperKelp is supported by partnerships with major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton.
About the Kelp Smart Buoy (KSB)
The Kelp Smart Buoy (KSB) is a marine sensing platform. Compatible with over 300 types of environmental, electro-optic, infrared, and radio frequency sensors, the KSB delivers comprehensive maritime and atmospheric intelligence from a compact, buoy-based persistent system. The KSB can be rapidly deployed by existing Navy sensor infrastructure to monitor environmental conditions, surface vessels, and aircraft in remote ocean areas.
About HyperKelp, Inc.
For customers in the federal government, defense, and research, HyperKelp provides maritime intelligence and data. HyperKelp specializes in scalable and cost-effective, buoy-based sensing platforms. The company’s clients span the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and industry, including major defense primes. With its rapidly growing fleet of KSBs, HyperKelp is advancing ocean intelligence with reliable and easily-used intelligence systems.
For more information, please contact: Graeme Rae – graeme@hyperkelp.com Costas Soler – costas@hyperkelp.com