Autonomous underwater vehicles provider Teledyne Gavia has recently delivered a Sonar Transponder Module (STM) for ASW training to an undisclosed military customer.
The STM module made by Scanmatic of Norway and integrated into a Gavia payload module is capable of receiving and re-transmitting sonar signals for training sonar operators.
The STM consists of a flooded transducer compartment, an electronic compartment, and a hydrophone that is towed behind the Gavia AUV. The STM is programmable to emulate different types of realistic submarine target characteristics including sizes and speeds for cost effective and re-usable ASW training applications.
When a Gavia vehicle is not utilizing the STM module, it can be configured for MCM, SAR and REA operations. STM modules are said to be suitable for use with all existing Gavia vehicles in the field.