Saab at REPMUS 2024 – Advancing Maritime Unmanned Systems
In September, Saab participated in REPMUS 2024, the Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping Maritime Unmanned Systems exercise organised by the Portuguese Navy.
The event brought together naval and defense industry leaders to explore cutting-edge technologies in maritime robotics. Saab contributed by deploying two configurations of our AUV62 advanced autonomous underwater vehicle, specifically – the AUV62-AT and AUV62-MR – along with five small unmanned Piraya development platforms. These autonomous surface vessels, along with their management systems, performed well. During the exercise, the Piraya team also conducted a test operation for the European Defence Agency (EDA) to evaluate how well autonomous systems can navigate maritime regulations.
The AUV62-AT (Acoustic Target) is operated by a growing number of navies worldwide who see the operational and cost benefits of an advanced at-sea anti-submarine warfare training system. During REPMUS 2024, it demonstrated its vital role in enhancing underwater defense capabilities.
AUV62-AT can be used as a target for training surface, air and sub-surface Anti-Submarine Warfare ASW assets in any combination and can be programmed to deliver all levels of training from basic to advanced. The complexity of training is set by the trainer thereby allowing the trainer to manage training development of the ASW teams.
Train as you fight
The AUV62-AT allows crews to do a wide range of training scenarios, including basic training all the way to firing a torpedo at the system and to then conduct extensive evaluation afterwards. This means it is of use to everyone from experienced crews to navies wanting to expand their anti-submarine warfare training capabilities.
The system has a multi-platform capability which allows the system to interact with multiple ASW assets simultaneously, allowing training to be conducted with a complete ASW taskforce. The acoustic transducer tail on the target, which extends up to 75m, delivers a high-fidelity acoustic signature which to an operator will appear as a real submarine.
A key feature of the AUV62-AT is its sophisticated behaviour. It can be programmed to undertake evasive action if it senses that it has been detected, for example increasing its speed or shifting its active or passive signatures. After an exercise, the data collected by AUV62-AT can be downloaded and analysed; providing crews with immediate feedback on their performance and helping them to improve their performance in subsequent sessions.
Effective training
Using submarines as targets in anti-submarine warfare training is expensive and an inefficient use of an expensive operational asset that is often not available to support training. Training for ASW missions can be a costly process, but the innovative AUV62-AT training solution is an effective alternative to a real submarine. The ability to detect, track and engage submarines is an essential capability for modern navies.
AUV62-AT is operated by a growing number of navies worldwide who see the operational and cost benefits of an advanced at-sea ASW training system. The system can be used as a target for training surface, air and sub-surface ASW assets in any combination and can be programmed to deliver all levels of training from basic to advanced. The complexity of training is set by the trainer thereby allowing the trainer to manage training development of the ASW teams.
With the autonomous underwater vehicle AUV62-AT, Saab has a highly effective solution to meet this training capability gap. The system mimics both the passive and active acoustic signatures of a wide range of different submarines, can be easily launched from surface vessels and delivers highly cost-effective, live ASW training from basic level through to advanced.
AUV62-MR (Mine Reconnaissance)
During REPMUS 2024, also the AUV62-MR played a pivotal role in Mine Counter Measures (MCM). Equipped with an advanced Synthetic Aperture Sonar, the AUV62-MR was able to scan the seabed with exceptional resolution, coverage rate and navigation. In fact, it was recognised as the highest coverage rate at REPMUS, particularly excelling in shallow and challenging water conditions.
Expertise in Baltic Sea conditions
Saab’s extensive experience in developing robust underwater systems for challenging environments, such as the Baltic Sea, underscores Sweden's commitment to sharing expertise with its NATO allies. Saab’s participation at REPMUS 2024 not only strengthened NATO’s knowledge of unmanned systems but also provided invaluable real-world testing and exposure for our technology, serving as a powerful demonstration of its capabilities. Overall, Saab’s participation in REPMUS 2024 was a great success, demonstrating not only the performance and innovation of our unmanned systems but also the importance of cooperation and shared knowledge within NATO.
What happened in 2024?
2024 has been an important year for Saab, marked by significant developments across various sectors. With a strong emphasis on innovation, defense, and sustainability, Saab has continued to solidify its position as a leader in cutting-edge technology.
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