Mine hunting torpedoes
4 June 2007 By Keeli Cambourne
To the uninitiated the long torpedo-shaped submersible looked like a giant bath toy.
But the high-tech product was in fact the latest in mine detection equipment with potential capabilities far above what is currently available.
Launching it is as simple as towing it to a boat ramp on the back of a 4WD and once it's in the water the AUV62 torpedo SAPPHIR - or the synthetic aperture high resolution sonar - can be operated by wireless communication, through a GPS, a satellite or even through underwater acoustic communication. It can go to depths of about 600m and depending on the type of battery being used can operate autonomously for up to 10 hours.
The AUV62 was just one of the new expeditionary mine counter measure technologies which were being showcased over six weeks in Jervis Bay by the Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation (RPDE) Program.
The AUV62 is being developed by SAAB Underwater Systems (SUS), a Swedish company which was invited to showcase its products along with Germany's ATLAS which demonstrated its Sea Otter Mk 1 (currently employed extensively with De Beers mining in South Africa) and US company Bluefin Robotics which is showing its BF 12 system.
"The program is about looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the new technologies which are now becoming available in mine reconnaissance so as to better inform the Defence Department in support of upcoming programs such as Sea 1778 and JP 1770," said RPDE task manager Gerard Hammond.
"We can then produce a specification that focuses on the current and emerging strengths in the capabilities in a physical form that satisfies our future requirements for deployment. For example, we may like one aspect of one product but would like to add the components of another, naturally there are constraints in such 'cherry picking' of which we are well aware."
As well as its torpedo SAPPHIR, SAAB put to the test a developmental version of the Double Eagle SAROV (semi autonomous remotely operated vehicle) in the Bay.
The Royal Australian Navy now has 14 of the MKI Double Eagles which have to be operated while tethered to a vessel.
The second generation Double Eagle SAROV has been under development for the past two years and can operate at depth of up to 300m. If all goes well it could be in production by next year.
Its mission in deep water east of Jervis Bay was to locate a number of mines of which RPDE knew the locations, but were a mystery to everyone else. Moving across a rectangular area in a similar way you would mow a lawn, the SAROV was put to work for more than four hours after being launched off HMAS Norman.
The data it collected was downloaded to a computer upon recovery, which could then display what the bright yellow submersible discovered on the ocean floor. An operator then had to analyse the returned data to determine any mine like objects. Was it successful? We'll just have to wait and see.
