Minehunting UUV unveiled by Navy, General Dynamics
NewsApril 17, 2012
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. ? A small model of the Knifefish Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) was unveiled by General Dynamics and U. S. Navy officials at the 2012 Sea-Air-Space Exposition. The Knifefish Surface Mine Countermeasure UUV is a heavyweight-class, minehunting, unmanned undersea vehicle planned for deployment by forward operating forces, and will be a key part of the Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasures Mission Package.
The SMCM UUV system uses low-frequency technology to detect and identify mines that are in high-clutter underwater environments, according to a Navy release. This includes mines which are suspended in the ocean, laying on the sea floor, or buried. The UUV also will gather environmental information that may provide intelligence data for other mine warfare systems.
General dynamics officials say they expect Knifefish to attain initial operational capability in 2017.
The program’s development and manufacturing efforts are being performed in Greensboro, N.C., Fairfax, Va., Quincy, Mass., Braintree, Mass., and Panama City, Fla. The Knifefish UUV program is managed by the Navy’s Program Executive Office, Littoral Combat Ships Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office.
