AUTEC
Abstract
As a detachment of Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport, the mission of the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) is to provide the US Navy an underwater range facility for full-spectrum test and evaluation of Undersea Warfare systems and for Fleet training and readiness assessment. The AUTEC Program Office is headquartered at Newport, RI. AUTEC's administrative offices are located at West Palm Beach, Florida. Test facilities are located at Andros Island, Sites 1 through 4, and the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. AUTEC aircraft make scheduled daily flights between West Palm Beach and Andros Town Airport. AUTEC manages and, under service contract, maintains and operates a 500 square nautical miles deep-water and a 100 square nautical miles shallow-water acoustic tracking range; air-target tracking capabilities; sonobuoy simulation systems; electronic warfare threat simulation systems; rotary wing aircraft; aircraft ground support facilities; acoustic targets; torpedo retrieval and flushing capabilities; open-ocean range craft; marine support facilities; and data processing and analysis capabilities. Major test facilities on Andros Island are located at Site 1. The Command Control Building houses the range tracking displays and replay centers, the computer center, operations support functions, communications center, and the central timing system. The Range Support Facility houses a torpedo post-run workshop, Mark 46 /Mark 50 lightweight torpedo Intermediate Maintenance Activity (IMA), a Mark 30 undersea target IMA, a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo Research and Development Turnaround facility and related technical facilities. The complex includes electrical and physical calibration labs, a complete electronics maintenance shop, a dive locker, a precision machine shop, and logistics support areas. AUTEC has a 285-foot concrete pier with a controlling depth of 17 feet (5.2 meters) at mean low tide. An adjacent wharf is approximately 240 feet in length (72 meters) with a controlling depth of 15 feet at mean low tide. Power is available at both locations. Facilities at the pier/marine area include fully equipped machine /fabrication and marine overhaul shops. Also at Site 1, six Range User Buildings are maintained for assembling test equipment and equipment check-out during test mobilization or dockside periods. These staging areas are equipped with a variety of power sources, gantry cranes, compressed air and security features. A fully equipped range user hanger for ground maintenance and storage of helicopters is located at the AUTEC helicopter airstrip. Sites 2, 3, and 4 are small instrumented areas located south of Site 1 used to extend tracking of sonobuoys, communications, and air target track.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2014
- Source ID
- 0541_0605864N_6_1319_PB_2014
Related Documents
- Root: Test & Evaluation Support
- Child Accomplishment: Atlantic Undersea Test and Eval Ctr Facility
- Child Accomplishment: Bahamian Lease