L-3 Klein announces that their recently introduced UUV 3500 Side Scan Sonar manufactured for the AUV, UUV and ROV market is right on target.
To date, L-3 Klein is already integrated into a number of AUV-s and UUV-s. The integration of the Klein UUV 3500 into any Underwater Vehicle is quick and simplistic in that it was designed for this sole purpose with design input from both the AUV and UUV manufacturers and end users. Their requests were straight forward , stellar imaging, reliability, small, low power consumption, low cost and Bathymetry data would be nice. Klein has attained these requests.
Klein is finding that their UUV 3500 is yielding longer range capability with the 455/900 kHz frequencies without sacrificing resolution.
Feedback from customer base is that their existing side scan systems with 600/1600 kHz frequencies is limiting their mission capability with little or no improvement in imaging performance. The Klein 455/900 kHz, UUV 3500 is becoming the best compromise between long range and high resolution. Add in the Bathymetry capability and Klein has found that they are in the ”sweet spoth” for the AUV, UUV, and ROV market.
Klein does offer the 600/1600 kHz frequency option but quickly finding that the market is becoming savvy and they understand that their AUV or UUV is at risk since it has to get so close to the target to receive proper resolution/images when operating at 1600 kHz. With the Klein UUV 3500 455/900 kHz ,standard configuration, high frequency ( 900kHz) image/data is far superior and at ranges from 50 to 75 meters.
Klein’s first production run is now sold out. Material is on order and due to arrive shortly. Next production run starts soon.
[mappress] Source: L-3 Klein, August 30, 2011;