The Navy has selected seven companies to test their Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels at sea, according to an announcement last week.

Companies who successfully complete the at-sea test will receive $15 million and become eligible for follow-on production. Testing is set to begin in June and will likely be completed by October, the announcement adds.

Companies selected include:

• Sea Machines
• Leidos
• Saronic Technologies
• Galliano Marine Services
• PacMar Technologies
• Birdon
• Huntington Ingalls Industries

The Navy opened its virtual marketplace for MUSV solicitations earlier this year, after the service pivoted from its Modular Attack Surface Craft effort -- citing the need for wider applications. Over $6 billion will go toward the MUSV effort across the future years defense plan, according to Rebecca Gassler, the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Robotic and Autonomous Systems.

Several companies unveiled their MUSV prototypes at the Sea-Air-Space conference in April, including Saildrone, Anduril and a Leidos-HavocAI team.

“We do have an objective number we are aiming for, approximately 30 in the first buy and we will open the marketplace again for additional requirements as we receive them from our requirements resource sponsor,” Gassler told lawmakers in April.

The MUSV will have interchangeable payloads for various missions, to better align with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle’s containerized payload capability plan.