Saab delivers Sea Wasp prototypes

18th May 2016 - 09:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Saab has delivered prototypes of its Sea Wasp remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to three US Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) agencies, the company announced on 16 May. The systems have been supplied in partnership with the US Combat Terrorism Technical Support Organization (CTTSO).

The EOD agencies are the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's Counter-Terrorist Operations Maritime Response Unit, the FBI Counter-IED Unit and the US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2. The agencies will carry out testing and evaluation of the Sea Wasp for the next ten to 12 months.

The Sea Wasp is an underwater C-IED system designed to be operated by a two-man team. It is piloted from a control vehicle ashore using a power-supplying, fibre optic tether, or from the surface using a control console on-board a support vessel.

The system's five-function manipulator arm positions a disruptor beside the target. The vehicle then returns to the surface for recovery, and the disruptor is fired from the surface to neutralise the target.

Saab provided a four-day training session to representatives of the agencies in January 2016 at the Charleston Law Enforcement Training Center in South Carolina. Personnel were trained in how to operate the various tools and sensors of the Sea Wasp, how to pilot the vehicle, and how to fault find and conduct routine maintenance.