Underwater obstacle avoidance system aids diver delivery
SubSea Craft has chosen the Vigilant forward-looking sonar from Sonardyne to provide critical hazard avoidance for the VICTA class diver delivery system.
Using a compact and sophisticated bow-mounted transducer arrangement, Vigilant displays water depth, sub-surface obstacles and features by creating an accurate 3D model of the underwater environment.
The forward-looking sonar provides bathymetry data out to 600m over a 90° FOV, as well as automated warnings of unseen collision hazards out to 1.5km.
According to SubSea Craft, the VICTA delivery unit offers the speed and endurance of a long-range insertion craft with the stealth and capacity of a swimmer delivery vehicle. It can travel up to 250nm at speeds of up to 40kt on the surface, and 25nm at 6-8kt when submerged.
The delivery unit can deploy and recover up to eight operatives (two crew and six divers).
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