Saab has received an order to provide the Royal Navy with the AUV62-AT anti-submarine warfare training system.
Delivery is expected to take place in 2019.
Saab say it has received this order in collaboration with QinetiQ. The order comprises of Saab’s AUV62-AT autonomous underwater vehicle system.
“This system is a cost-efficient training solution allowing ASW units to train in a wide range of scenarios. This procurement follows a period of testing and evaluation together with QinetiQ and the Royal Navy”, say the firm in a release.
“We welcome the Royal Navy as our latest customer of the AUV62-AT. Together with QinetiQ we have demonstrated and used the AUV62-AT in multiple training scenarios to show the customer the true capability that comes with our state-of-the-art ASW solution,” said Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab business area Dynamics.
The AUV62-AT will act as a training target that can emulate a submarine. The firm describe the system as follows:
“The AUV62-AT is flexible, adaptable and can operate in several different modes, enabling it to comply with various sets of training regulations. It can generate realistic submarine noises and echoes, which are transmitted at a precise target strength and over clearly defined distances.
The payload module of the AUV62-AT includes a transducer tail, which mirrors the physical properties of a submarine so as to provide realistic training, including ASW torpedo firing. The tail incorporates transmitting and receiving transducers, so that training personnel can perform onboard analysis of the location of active sonars or attacking torpedoes.
Capable of deceiving any torpedo homing system, the AUV62-AT’s tail system provides forces with a highly qualified tactical training target.”
Saab successfully demonstrated the system at the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior military exercise held recently.
Couldn’t agree with you more 🙂
Saab 900 Turbo was probably the fastest I’ve ever been on British roads… obviously this was 70 mph 😉
Couldn’t agree more. Back in the early 80s I came back from the middle-east after a six month tour and returned my airport hire car. There was a bright red 900 turbo in the showroom….I thought f@ck it I’m having that…I collected it the following week. Those were the days….loads of money….bish, bash, bosh, wop out your dosh!
On a more serious note (other than the Saab 900 Turbo thing) I am rather concerned Saab are producing a device that simulates a sub. Imagine therefore a Russian sub towing one of these things and our wonderful Spearfish deciding the decoy is the thing to go for. I feel we might need to ask Saab to produce something that mimics a Type 26 or QEC 🙂
Simon – I’m certainly no expert here,but id imagine Russian Subs do employ Decoys,probably have done for a long time.Its up to the Attacker or Weapon System used to discriminate between the real target or the Decoy.I cant see the logic in getting Saab to produce ‘something’ that mimics a Type 26 or a QEC,surely it will have some IFF Capability built in anyway.What your after is a device that mimics any potential enemy combatant,not a friendly one id have thought.
Cam – look online for the Top Gear tribute programmes to SAAB if you missed them when they were aired,sort of explains what went wrong.
SAAB does seem to be developing some interesting tech.
Just been looking at the patrol boat in the picture specs (Hamina class, Finland), would not mind a few of those, they have even managed to fit a towed array. Could be useful around the Scottish Islands, English Channel and Persian Gulf, nice well armed and well equipped little boats,
Why can’t we do something like that.
Agree. Need more people first to crew them.
We went wrong somewhere with 8 million economically inactive .Admittedly ,this number includes people genuinely unfit to work .And then there’s the Blair Brown wasted education years when we trained people in the wrong subjects .
Well, the Brits have always been able to think outside the box… be innovative and imaginative. However, this doesn’t extend to our bean counters. It’s only in wartime that we have really been able to fully express this talent. I am reminded of the early Mustangs in RAF service….limited performance at altitude until some bright spark came up with the idea of fitting a Merlin in it. What a triumph…..
Completely agree Ron. It’s amazing that the Finns have managed to pack a bigger punch into 250 tonnes than we have with 2000 tonnes with the B2-Rivers.
Until very recently I had a Saab 9-3 2.8 Aero. The thing was a rocket ship. Shame I had to get rid of it, parts availability was becoming a problem, either couldn’t get them at all or they were ruinously expensive… Like Cam, I’ve lusted after a 900 turbo since I was a teenager…
I agree on both fronts. My brother-in-law still has a Saab 900 drop top a fantastic car that really stands out from all the sheep driving around in Mercs and Beemers. Such a shame it is no more deserved a better fate. But good to see Saab doing so well in other areas, I think that is a great guide to the way we should rebuild much of our lost industrial presence, concentrate upon high quality higher tech niches and build out from there. Sadly when we do the shareholders and investors just can’t wait to push through a sale… Read more »