A contract for the supply of underwater tracking systems to be used by the US Navy in mine clearance operations has been awarded to Applied Acoustic Engineering Ltd, Great Yarmouth UK, by ATLAS North America (ATLAS NA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Elektronik GmbH of Bremen, Germany.
The Applied Acoustics’ military grade Easytrak USBL tracking system will be integrated into the SeaFox™ mine neutralisation system supplied by ATLAS NA under contract to Lockheed Martin Corporation. The SeaFox™ system addresses an urgent operational need from U.S. Navy Central Command for more effective mine countermeasure systems to be installed on its Avenger-class ships and MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters.
Seafox™ is an expendable, remotely operated underwater vehicle containing an explosive warhead used to neutralise the target mine. The Seafox™ vehicle is guided to the target from the parent ship or helicopter using a combination of Applied Acoustics’ Easytrak and the vehicle’s own on-board sonar. Easytrak utilises a multi-element, single transducer to send and receive acoustic signals underwater from which range, bearing and depth information can be determined.
The Applied Acoustics’ contract to supply Easytrak USBL systems for the advanced Seafox™ mine disposal vehicles to be used by the US Navy follows its earlier success supplying the Royal Navy’s Hunt and Sandown class mine counter measure vessels, and similar contracts with other European naval forces.
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff , June 27, 2012; Image: Applied Acoustics