Josh Knight, Integer COO and co-founder, speaks during Integer’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new office at The University of Southern Mississippi’s Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise in April. The ceremony was attended by U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, alongside USM President Dr. Joseph S. Paul.
GULFPORT, Miss., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Integer Technologies, a leading provider of mission assurance and reliability software for maritime operations, and The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) today announced it was awarded a $9.8 million option exercise contract modification from the Office of Naval Research for the next phase of its Intelligent Autonomous Systems for Seabed Warfare joint program.
“The Navy’s mission demands systems that can interpret uncertainty, reason at the edge, and provide operators of UxVs with assurance of their mission in intermittent or denied communications environments,” said Josh Knight, COO and cofounder of Integer. “The work we’re doing with USM is about redefining how the fleet leverages data, physics, and AI to create persistent, intelligent capability in the undersea domain. We’re committed to pushing the industry forward and delivering technologies that will shape how autonomous platforms operate for decades to come.”
This option exercise is part of the previously announced program and expands the Navy’s ongoing investment in the joint Integer–USM effort, bringing the total cumulative contract value to $24.8 million, and supports the development of novel software to help the U.S. Navy maintain maritime dominance and increase its seabed warfare capabilities. The modification provides continuing research and development of an operational decision support tool for autonomous undersea missions that will allow unmanned vessels to adapt more effectively to changing ocean conditions and operate for longer periods of time with minimal human intervention.
The program combines USM’s strengths in ocean engineering and oceanography with Integer’s expertise in creating predictive software models for unmanned platforms. Integer’s recent expansion in April at USM’s Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise provides direct ocean access and close collaboration between engineers and scientists, enabling rapid prototyping and in-water testing in the Gulf of America.
“Advancing to this next phase highlights The University of Southern Mississippi’s leadership in ocean research and blue economy innovation,” said Kelly Lucas, Ph.D., Vice President for Research at USM. “By partnering with Integer Technologies, we are bringing high skill jobs to the Gulf Coast and strengthening a technology ecosystem that attracts new partners and investment. This program is a clear example of how university industry collaboration accelerates scientific advancement while expanding economic opportunity across Mississippi.”
About Integer Technologies
Integer is an agile defense technology company that transforms raw data into decision advantage, protecting our country and ensuring a safer world. We partner with the brightest minds in industry and academia to create mission-focused solutions that refine complex information into actionable intelligence, empowering humans and autonomous systems to predict the probabilities in uncertain environments. Our digital engineering portfolio spans robotic and unmanned systems, sensors and perception, power and energy systems, advanced manufacturing and cyber-physical systems. Learn more at www.integer-tech.com.
About University of Southern Mississippi
Since our founding in 1910, The University of Southern Mississippi has remained dedicated to preparing students for success. We deliver programs to more than 13,000 students in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. We are a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one of the nation’s leading research institutions. Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in polymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringing language to children with communication disorders. We are also a national leader in a broad range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, hydrography, nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology, and economic development, among others. We produce graduates ready to enter fields that are leading the way in emerging technologies through programs such as computer engineering, information technology, and ocean engineering. We’re developing the next generation of business leaders, while also responding to critical workforce shortages by producing skilled professionals in education and nursing. With a tradition of excellence in the arts, we are one of only 37 public institutions in the nation accredited in four major areas of the arts. Home to the Golden Eagles, our student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. With a culture marked by passion and persistence, Southern Miss is delivering graduates who are ready for life.
Integer Media Contact:
Paul Frommelt
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
USM Media Contact:
Jennifer Rigney
Assistant Director for News and Media Relations
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b0875dd1-e4cf-4c21-8d1d-0d59b49e4a24
