Royal Navy to trial minehunter USV in the Gulf

🎯 USV that can search for and detect underwater threats has arrived in the Gulf, in an important step towards autonomous mine-hunting operations, and a demonstration of the UK’s continued commitment to the Middle East. Royal Navy Motor Boat Harrier (RNMB Harrier) is part of the ten-year programme for replacing the Navy’s current fleet of mine counter measure vessels and her time in the region will lay the foundation for future autonomous kit.
While deployed for operations, the 11-metre boat will work with host ship RFA Cardigan Bay to conduct a series of demonstrations and trials that will prove her ability to operate in the harsh and demanding weather conditions of the Gulf.
Harrier is capable of operating both autonomously (pre-programmed to conduct a mission) or remotely from a ship or shore-based remote control centre. She tows a side-scan sonar behind her to look for mines on the seabed, alerting units ashore or at sea of their whereabouts. In the future, she will also work with remotely operated underwater vehicles and a mine sweeping system.
The tests will be key for seeing how the Atlas remote-controlled mine sweeper boat deals with hot climates, having already proved her ability in UK waters. She will face water temperatures of more than 30C in the summer, very different from her previous home of Faslane.
A move towards autonomous mine-hunting will enable the Royal Navy to counter the rapidly evolving threat of modern sea mines while reducing the risk to sailors.
🎤 Lieutenant Commander Mark Shaw, commanding officer of Mission System Team One in the Mine Threat Exploitation Group, said: “We are excited to be involved in the Mine Hunting Capability programme which will transition the Royal Navy from a ship-based mine counter measures (MCM) capability to maritime autonomous off-board systems.
⚙ Specifications of RNMB Harrier:
🔹 Designer\Builder – Atlas Elektronik UK
🔹 LOA – 11 m
🔹 Payload – Side Scan Sonar and AUV
📃📷 Source: Royal Navy
See also related
Countries
Companies
Applications
Ship Types
Recent updates
Nichols Brothers Boat Builders awarded the contract to build MUSV NOMARS
Kraken Technology Group and L3Harris partner for submersible USV development
MARINET association reports MASS operating in Baltic Sea
Australian companies demonstrate acoustic marine mammal monitoring with use of unmanned technologies
MASS People working group submitted first document to International Maritime Organization
Zelim to trial AI in search and rescue with US Coast Guard
Seadronix to install its AI Solution on Wind Turbine Installation Vessel in world first
New software solution helps USV operators to view radar displays over low bandwidth networks
Robosys and Landau Marine announces collaboration in maritime autonomy for naval operations
Maritime Robotics‘s Autonomous Navigation System for Ørsted's USVs