UMS SKELDAR and Ultra Maritime are unveiling their jointly developed anti-submarine warfare (ASW) solution at DSEI 2023.
The solution, a Rotary Wing UAS providing an ASW sonobuoy dispensing capability, is based on the SKELDAR V-200 Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) and was developed as part of a contract under the Canadian Department of National Defence’s (DND) Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program.
This innovative development allows the SKELDAR V-200 to be used to deploy sonobuoys for the purpose of tracking potentially hostile submarines operating in the open ocean or close to coastal areas that could pose a threat to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) or other forces.
“Until now, unmanned rotorcraft in the SKELDAR V-200’s weight class have been limited in their ability to identify hostile submersibles due to the lack of a sonobuoy dispensing capability,” says Richard Hjelmberg, Vice President of Business Development at UMS SKELDAR. “Only manned helicopters or larger fixed-wing unmanned aircraft with access to airfields could previously deploy sonobuoys. As a result, there has been a lack of a rapid ship-based responder that can support recognition efforts using passive sonobuoys, which is necessary for complementing ASW operations,” he explains.
Clifton Flint, Manager Global Business Development Sonobuoy Systems for Ultra Maritime, explains: “At Ultra, new technologies are being continuously assessed to find ways to counter the danger posed by hostile submarines. The gap in the available technologies led us to enter this program to create a viable alternative. This program has proven that deploying sonobuoys from Rotary Wing UAS with a compact logistical footprint is a practical and effective solution, adding another resource to the ASW toolbox for the benefit of the warfighter”.
Hjelmberg concludes: “We express our deep gratitude to Ultra Maritime for their invaluable collaboration and support during the development of this project. We are thrilled to showcase this groundbreaking solution at the DSEI event. The remarkable ability to respond swiftly, coupled with reducing the reliance on extensive crewed or unmanned aircraft, could potentially revolutionize how underwater autonomous systems enhance ASW operations.”
The solution is on display at UMS SKELDAR’s DSEI stand in Hall 5 on stand H5-343. To book a briefing slot with the UMS SKELDAR and Ultra Maritime teams at DSEI, contact Andy Parker ([email protected]) or Isabel Pedreira ([email protected]).
