July 30 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Defense has put out a call for robot boats with the capability of launching drones to be deployed within 120 days.

The Pentagon’s innovation unit put out a solicitation for the boats this week, requesting responses by Aug. 10, The Wall Street Journal first reported. It is describing the solicitation as a “multi-phase Prize Challenge” with funding for up to $100 million.

“The DoW is relying on industry to provide inexpensive and scalable solutions that combine proven USVs with mature drone capabilities to extend sensing, targeting, communications, and defeat of hostile threats through kinetic and non-kinetic effects at scale,” the solicitation reads.

“The Department of War seeks mature, market-ready USVs fully integrated with two or more mature, market-ready aerial drones to detect, identify, track, and defeat hostile threats.”

The department also is looking for the boat and drone systems to be able to fit inside a standard cargo container, road trailer or C-17 and C-130 transport aircraf6.

Earlier this month, Portland-based defense company ReconCraft announced it will begin producing drone boats that have been designed in Ukraine. The Magura boats, a class of unmanned Ukrainian vessels, can be controlled remotely..

ReconCraft’s goal is to eventually manufacture thousands of boats annually.

Autonomous defense systems are a growing priority for the Pentagon as drones and unmanned attack vessels have become a key factor in armed conflicts in recent years.

ReconCraft’s Magura vessel is capable of reconnaissance, sweeping for mines and anti-submarine operations. A single vessel costs less than $500,000.