Atlas Elektronik UK, a joint company of ThyssenKrupp and Airbus DS, has delivered an ATLAS Remote Combined Influence Minesweeping System (ARCIMS) multi-role unmanned surface vessel (USV) to the German Naval Technical Centre, based within the Eckernfoerde Naval Base.
The company said this delivery followed the recent success earlier in 2015 where AEUK secured a major contract with the UK MoD to supply the Royal Navy with an autonomous minesweeping capability.
The ARCIMS USV is an 11m platform with a large open deck space and a 4 tonne payload capacity. It has been specifically designed for unmanned military applications with a shock resistant hull and a low platform underwater signature.
According to Atlas Elektronik, the cathedral hull and twin jet propulsion provides a manoeuvrable yet stable platform with a top speed of over 40 knots. The USV is part of the ARCIMS mission system that includes a range of reconfigurable mission modules to deliver MCM and Hydrographic operations, ASW, maritime security and force protection.
The German Navy has a requirement to assess the use of unmanned mine countermeasure (MCM) systems. WTD71, the Bundeswehr Technical Centre for Ships and Naval Weapons, is responsible for the development and evaluation of such equipment from pre-phase to service use.
Atlas Elektronik said that the ARCIMS USV can be operated remotely, autonomously or as a manned platform and offers the flexibility to test and evaluate a range sweep equipment as well as the deployment of off-board payloads.
Mario Pohl , Vice President Sales Germany, states: “The whole ATLAS Group welcome the opportunity to support WTD71 with their future developments and look forward to further collaboration within forthcoming European projects.”
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