Remotely operated mine-hunting sensor system delivered to Royal Navy
NewsDecember 09, 2021
UNITED KINGDOM. Developed under the joint Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) program between the U.K. and France, the remotely-operated boat, controlled from either a ship or land, tows a highly sensitive detection device to combat sea mines and keep ships and personnel away from danger.
The system is produced by Thales UK and officials claim it has commenced capability development trials with the Royal Navy. The technology will sit alongside other MMCM systems provided through an additional investment agreed upon last year.
Sea mines are becoming a growing threat to naval warfighters and the system is designed to detect and neutralize mines from miles away, ensuring they can keep vital sea lanes open, with much-reduced risk to ships and the lives of sailors.
Comprising an uncrewed surface vessel, towed sonar, and a portable operation center, the company claims that the new mine-hunting capabilities are designed to eventually replace crewed MMCM vessels, such as the Royal Navy’s Hunt and Sandown class ships, with autonomous systems.
