ECA will exhibit a range of innovative unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and surface vehicles for mine warfare at PACIFIC 2010, to be held in Sydney, Australia on 27-29 January 2010. These include the latest-generation mine killer K-STER, ALISTER autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and INSPECTOR unmanned surface vehicles.

Mine killers

The K-STER mine killer is an innovative one-shot (disposable) small robot for the identification and destruction of subsea mines. The Australian Navy adopted K-STER in 2009.

Imaging and bathymetry system for hydrographic and oceanographic surveys

ECA have also developed SIMBA45, a system for imaging and bathymetry for carrying out missions such as hydrographic and oceanographic surveys. This multi-purpose vessel, designed in cooperation with RAIDCO Marine, is designed for use with ECA’s unmanned vehicle such as ALISTER, INSPECTOR, and H300/H1000 inspection ROVs.

AUVs

ALISTER is a whole range of AUVs capable of carrying out missions such as hydrographic and oceanographic survey, mine warfare, rapid environment assessment and homeland security. The systems are equipped with side-scan sonar, multi-beam echo-sounder and sub-bottom profiler delivering high-resolution images for identification and classification, sediment analysis and bathymetry. All of these instruments work simultaneously.

Unmanned surface vehicles

INSPECTOR family unmanned surface vehicles are easy reconfigurable remote-controlled surface platforms capable of carrying out a large range of missions and tasks in the following domains: mine warfare, mine countermeasures (MCM), littoral and inshore hydrographic and oceanographic operations, shallow and very shallow water survey and inspection, coastal and port security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and structure and hull inspection.

The very shallow draught and twin-hydrojet propulsion provide high manoeuvrability and allow reconnaissance and efficient survey even in harsh environmental conditions.