RAN trials USV, AUV capabilities
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group have carried out a trial of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) capabilities at HMAS Creswell, Jervis Bay.
The Summerfest event gave the RAN an opportunity to meet with stakeholders to share knowledge and solutions to common challenges in the growing AUV environment, and mark the progress made in AUV applied research and operations throughout 2019.
A number of demonstrations were carried out, including the trial of a USV acting as a communications gateway for multiple AUVs.
The USV was provided by Ocius Technologies under contract to DST Group, which also supported the activity during the trial.
Lt James Keane, Capability Realisation Engineer, RAN Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Force Element Group, said: ‘Summerfest was very much focussed on users and developers of AUV behaviours, and the group was motivated to apply research and advance capability.
‘Our aim was to see what progress had been made in our use of AUVs in the mine warfare and hydrographic communities, so that we have a benchmark for our work in 2020.’
In 2020 the RAN plans to continue proving the capability of a surface vehicle to monitor AUVs and to increase the interoperability between the USV and multiple AUVs.
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