RTsys wins AUVs contract from Slovenian Navy

French manufacturer of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) RTsys has received a contract to supply of one COMET-MCM AUV and two NEMOSENS micro-AUVs to the Slovenian Navy.

These 3 autonomous vehicles will be added to the existing range in use of SONADIVE hand-held sonar units. Therefore they are expected to give to the Slovenian Armed Forces, through its EOD Diving Department, full capabilities for mine countermeasures from very shallow water up to 300 meters depth.

The COMET-MCM is designed to quickly and efficiently cover large underwater areas with both high-definition sonar imaging and TV camera capabilities, the company noted.

Alternatively, micro-AUVs NEMOSENS, man-portable and modular vehicles are offering the same capabilities of live tracking and high accuracy positioning and would operate in very shallow water (less than 5 meters). They will be used for a various scope of operations like beaching, rapid environmental assessment or identification and localization of underwater mines.

“Autonomous vehicles combined with EOD divers’ skills remain … reliable and efficient combination to operate safe MCM operations while reducing the time of divers’ action into the water,” said Pierre-Alexandre Caux, RTsys business director.

“It also makes sense for Navies worldwide to cooperate closely with one … manufacturer, from their original clarification of needs up to final delivery, operational training, spare part management and long-term support for maintenance.”