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Defence procurement: An unnamed Asian navy takes delivery of fully automated underwater robot demini
Monday, September 11 2017
ECA Group to deliver an integrated solution for mine counter measure to an Asian partner.
Published on Defence procurement, September 2017
An unnamed Asian navy takes delivery of fully automated underwater robot demining system.
The first completely unmanned underwater robot demining system has been delivered to an Asian navy customer by ECA Group. This navy, says ECA Group, is already renowned for its specialisation in the field of mine warfare, and is switching from traditional minehunter vessels (50 metre boats managed by a crew of 40 people) to a new unmanned system, controlled by only three people, allowing the Navy to cut operational costs and reduce human risks. The unmanned solution for mine countermeasure (MCM) operations is the first completely automated & includes EMDS (Expandable Mine Disposal System), which can be remotely piloted and uses a highly secured dedicated link for neutralisation. The ECA system is complemented by an unmanned surface vessel (USV) built by a partner company which is equipped with an inspection function using the K-STER I identification vehicle and destruction via the K-STER C mine disposal vehicle. All the vehicles are launched autonomously with an automated launch and recovery system, remotely piloted via a radio or satellite link.
Onshore, the crew launches and pilots the inspection vehicle remotely from the command and control centre. If a mine is found, a disposal vehicle, K-STER C, is deployed by a dedicated launching system, in order to destroy the mine.
Sea acceptance tests of the first system are expected for September 2017. ECA says training for maintenance and usage of the unmanned naval drone system was conducted at the end of May in its premises in the south of France.
The Belgian, Dutch, French, UK and Norwegian navies are also looking at future stand-off MCM concepts, which keep the mother vessel and crew at a safe distance from the minefield, using a combination of manned and unmanned systems.
Read more about : ECA Group delivers an Unmanned Expendable Mine Disposal System to a Southeast Asian navy
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