This summer, Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs (CNSP) completed testing of Triton, an environmentally powered ocean-surveillance technology that will be used to support the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) in its mission of protecting more than 95,000 miles of maritime border shoreline and 15,000 miles of waterways, seaports and other commercially navigable waters.

As the prime contractor for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) project, CNSP was tasked with acquiring the surveillance technology; designing and implementing the program management, training, logistics, data management and testing plans; and operating the system.

“We reached major project milestones in July,” says John “J.C.” Coffey, executive director of unmanned systems (UXS) at CNSP. “Our team tested the baseline functions of six Triton vessels including navigation, surface and underwater performance.”

Triton systems, manufactured by Ocean Aero, are unmanned surface and underwater vehicles powered by solar or wind energy. Unlike other autonomous vessels used for commercial and military applications, Triton navigates while submerged and operates at the surface by wind and solar power alone.

CNSP has been working in collaboration with S&T, USCG, University of Southern Mississippi, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, Ocean Aero, Inc., and the Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute to assess the Triton technology.

“This truly is a team effort,” J.C. explains. “We are proud to work with such knowledgeable researchers, scientists and organizations who have contributed their expertise on this cutting-edge project in support of the U.S. Coast Guard’s mission.”

CNSP is an industry leader in testing and evaluating unmanned systems for federal agencies. The company also applies its UXS expertise across domains to fulfill defined ISR and homeland security missions as well as geospatial surveying.

“We have extensive experience helping clients execute their strategic programs and perform their missions,”  J.C. says. “Our subject matter experts provide end-to-end data management that enables stakeholders to make better decisions and improve operational efficiencies.”

Since concluding testing on the Triton vessels, CNSP continues to expand on the platform’s capabilities as they operate it each week.

Who We Are

Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs is a part of Cherokee Federal, a team of tribally owned federal contracting companies focused on building solutions, solving complex challenges, and serving the nation’s mission around the globe for more than 60 federal clients. Cherokee Federal’s team of companies, with more than 3,300 employees, manages nearly 2,000 projects of all sizes across the construction, engineering and manufacturing and mission solutions portfolios — ranging from advanced data analytics and telehealth to cybersecurity, cloud and logistics.

Cherokee Federal is a division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, the economic engine of Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the U.S. Its mission is to diversify and grow the economy of Cherokee Nation. Company profits support future business investments, as well as programs and services for tribal citizens. Cherokee Federal also believes in the value of a diverse workforce and in investing in the brightest talent to keep the company moving forward.

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