The US Secretary of Defence has approved a request for funding by the US Navy to purchase the modular GAVIA® Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for testing in mine counter measures (MCM). The procurement was initiated by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Centre (SPAWAR), San Diego, which is currently evaluating AUV systems for near-term fleet deployment. The funding is provided through the DoD-sponsored Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) Program, whose aim is to support the procurement of readily available foreign equipment in order to save the cost of developing comparable US technology.



The GAVIA AUV brings a series of new capabilities to autonomous MCM operations, which have not been available on compact size vehicles previously trialled for this application. Ranking high among these are the multi-role capabilities provided by GAVIA's modular system with its unique operator-exhangable modules, that are inserted into the vehicle and locked in place using GAVIA's QuickLock™ system.

The GAVIA AUV can be configured on-deck by selecting the sensor, navigation, and battery modules to best suit the current task and operating conditions. Battery modules can be replaced in minutes for fast turnaround and extended range is achieved by operating the vehicle with two battery modules instead of one. This maximizes vehicle productivity and makes both high-speed and long-endurance operations practical, providing a real choice in operating cycle.

The modular system thus provides both unrivalled operational flexibility as well as savings on procurement, training, and service costs over multiple dedicated systems. The modular system also increases field-serviceability and allows efficient sharing of resources. The modular system further makes way for cost-effective in-service system upgrades as requirements evolve and new sensors, navigation, communication, and power systems become available.

Another capability unique to Gavia is its ability to operate without relying on buoys for navigation or communication. Buoy-free navigation is provided by an onboard high-precision inertial navigation system with GPS and Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) aiding. Buoy-free communications are provided by an underwater acoustic link and two surface communication links on the vehicle: A high-speed wireless local area network (LAN) connection is provided for remote control and fast in-water data access via onboard web site, and a global Iridium satellite link for over-the-horizon operation and remote support. Over-the-horizon deployment is further supported by Gavia's extended operating range and obstacle avoidance capabilities. State-of-the-art rapid mission visualization software and onboard mine detection and classification systems are available for use with the Gavia system.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Hafmynd - Gavia Ltd
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~