Expeditionary Underwater Systems
Abstract
Funding supports the development of unmanned systems for the Navy's expeditionary unmanned underwater Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Mine Countermeasures (MCM) capability. Specifically, it provides for development of affordable expeditionary, unmanned underwater systems to support Navy Expeditionary forces including EOD, Mobile Diving and Salvage, Very Shallow Water (VSW), and Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM) mission operations. The equipment must be highly portable in order to support the Navy EOD technician to safely approach, render safe, recover, exploit, and dispose of underwater explosive threats to include sea mines, limpet mines, and unexploded ordnance. Provides support for the Navy's high priority missions of Maritime Homeland Defense and MCM, including clandestine reconnaissance and mine clearance in support of amphibious operations. Development of Expeditionary UUV systems to support localization render-safe and detailed intelligence gathering of unexploded ordnance (UXO) including Underwater Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). This project directly supports Department of the Navy Strategic Roadmap for Unmanned Systems promulgated in March 2018. This budget provides the resources needed to execute two formal MK 18 Family of Systems acquisition programs as well as three major engineering change proposals and the enhancement to the MK 18 Family of Systems to provide an underwater threat interdiction capability. These efforts require prototype development as well as initiating the development and evaluation of the Next Generation competitive Small and Medium Class UUVs in response to requirements defined by the Maritime Expeditionary MCM UUV (MEMUUV) CDD. FY21 will focus on continuation of the development and testing of advanced technologies that will allow warfighters to detect, classify, and localize high priority threats in meeting mine warfare missions. For example, the MK 18 Mod 2 Increment II upgrade will provide improved Automated Target Recognition (ATR) algorithms, more advanced autonomy architecture and continue to enhance electro-optic sensor performance. Increment II development and testing will focus on improving MCM performance and reducing the tactical timeline through development of a Reacquire, Identify and Mark capability for a Medium class UUV system. Concurrently with these efforts, the MK18 Mod 1 is undergoing a configuration change that will provide a higher area coverage rate, inclusion of vehicle autonomy, and Automated Target Recognition. Also, resources will continue to be used to expand deployability of the MK 18 Family of Systems (FoS) aboard a higher number of shipboard platforms and also to deploy the FoS from additional small boats and platforms other than the current 11 meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB). These efforts will significantly improve the capabilities of the projected inventory of Small and Medium Class UUV systems for fleet Expeditionary MCM forces. Currently, the MK 18 Family of Systems are being employed in multiple theater of operations (5th, 6th, and 7th Fleet) and have been employed in multiple CONUS based port survey and maritime homeland defense operations as well. Additional efforts will continue to execute the open competition process necessary to acquire and verify an EOD Response ROV capability focusing on user effectiveness and operational suitability to provide a ROV based target interdiction capability to address the capability gaps assessed in the previously conducted Expeditionary UUV Neutralization System (EUNS) AoA. This next generation capability (i.e. modified-off-the-shelf (MOTS) ROV) is developed to decrease risk when reacquiring/investigating a potential threat (i.e. sea mine or Underwater IED).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 4023_0603654N_4_1319_PB_2021
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