MQ-9 shows off ASW capabilities
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has announced that its MQ-9 Predator B UAS has demonstrated the remote detection and tracking of submerged contacts, such as submarines, during a US Naval exercise.
The exercise was conducted over the Southern California Offshore Range west of San Clemente Island.
During the exercise, acoustic data gathered from sonobuoys deployed by US Navy helicopters was used to track underwater targets. The data was transmitted to the MQ-9 and processed onboard, then relayed to the MQ-9’s Ground Control Station (GCS), which was located several hundred miles away from the target area.
The event successfully paired a sonobuoy receiver supplied by Ultra Electronics with data processing technology that was provided by General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada, onboard the MQ-9.
A track solution was calculated and transmitted from the MQ-9 to the GCS through SATCOM. According to the company, this technology will provide long-range patrol and relay capabilities to the MQ-9 to augment maritime mission sets.
The MQ-9 was also equipped with GA-ASI’s Lynx multi-mode radar, featuring maritime wide-area search (MWAS) mode. The MWAS mode uses inverse synthetic aperture radar for target classification to detect maritime surface targets over a large area.
The MQ-9's EO/IR high-definition full-motion video camera supports the identification of surface vessels. To verify target identity, these sensor contacts are correlated with the Automatic Identification System. The MQ-9 can also be fitted with a centreline pod that can house a longer-range, 360-degree field of regard maritime surface search radar for enhanced surveillance over water.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
Reamda upgrades Grasshopper UGV observation mast
Reamda, an Irish engineering company with a focus on UGVs and defence applications, delivered its Riddler platformed to the Irish Defence Forces last year.
-
Roke unveils new CUAS solution
The Roke Agile CUAS has been designed to provide protection for military and civilian situations, as well as to handle swarms of UAS by using a range of sensors.
-
Russia reaches new monthly record for Lancet use in Ukraine
The aggressor’s armed forces have adapted Lancet to Ukrainian conditions via iterative developments accompanied by a significant expansion in production capacity
-
India’s pursuit of UAVs fuels domestic innovation and industrial growth
In response to escalating border tensions and the need for enhanced surveillance capabilities, the Indian Army is ramping up its drone acquisitions, reflecting the growing importance of unmanned systems in modern defence strategies.
-
Australia to adopt new predatory OWL species
The Australian Defence Force will introduce the One-Way Loitering (OWL) platform by Innovaero, the country’s first long-range loitering munition, to enhance strike capabilities and understanding of loitering munitions.
-
Dedrone’s latest uncrewed solutions offers “complete CUAS DTI-M kill chain”
DedroneOnTheMove, which integrates advanced sensor-fusion and mitigation technologies, was showcased at Eurosatory 2024 and has been designed for deployment to enhance airspace security in high-risk environments.