SeaFox On The Run

The recent massive naval mine clearing exercise in the mouth of the Persian Gulf (the Straits of Hormuz) demonstrated two things. First, mine clearing ships (which many nations have) and mine clearing helicopters (like the U.S. MH-53) were not as successful as hoped. A lot of the practice mines used were not found. Second, one new system, the SeaFox (a remotely controlled underwater system) was very successful. Ten nations already have SeaFox, and while the United States is a new user, it is hustling to make SeaFox work from different ships and aircraft.  This involves training ship crews to operate SeaFox and equipping ships with the control equipment.

Earlier this year the U.S. Navy ordered several dozen more of the expendable SeaFox UUVs (unmanned underwater vehicles). SeaFox was designed to find and destroy bottom mines (which sit on the seabed) as well as those that float. These UUVs were quickly sent to the Persian Gulf to deal with potential Iranian use of naval mines. The U.S. first used their new Seafox UUVs on some of the eight U.S. Avenger class mine hunting ships stationed in the Persian Gulf.

SeaFox is a small (1.4x.4x.2 meters/55x16x8 inches) battery powered sub that weighs 43 kg (95 pounds) and has a fiber-optic cable connecting it to a surface ship or hovering helicopter. The controller can move the SeaFox close to a suspected mine (using a small sonar unit to assist navigation), then turn on a spotlight for a video cam to examine the object and determine if it is a mine. If it is then SeaFox gets closer and detonates a shaped charge explosive, sending a shaft of hot plasma through the mine destroying it (and the SeaFox).

SeaFox has an endurance of about 100 minutes, a top speed of 10 kilometers an hour, and can dive as deep as 300 meters (930 feet). Operators get to increase their skills and effectiveness using a SeaFox simulator.

ATLAS NA SeaFox mine neutralization system demonstrates capabilites during US Navy exercise

The SeaFox™ mine neutralization system, delivered by ATLAS North America (ATLAS NA), a subsidiary of the German-based ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, once again proved its effectiveness in performing unmanned mine countermeasure missions, when participating in Trident Warrior 2012 U.S. Navy Fleet Experiment, July 9-20.

During the Fleet Experiment, Textron/AAI used its Fleet Class Common Unmanned Sur-face Vessel (CUSV) with a L-3 Klein 5000 V2 Side Scan Sonar to investigate a suspected minefield. When detecting a mine-like object, its’ coordinates were input into the SeaFox™ to further prosecute the potential target. A second CUSV then remotely deployed the SeaFox™ for examining and identifying the exercise-mines, followed by a simulated mine-neutralization.

                                 

The SeaFox™ mine neutralization system, delivered by ATLAS North America (ATLAS NA), a subsidiary of the German-based ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, once again proved its effectiveness in performing unmanned mine countermeasure missions, when participating in Trident Warrior 2012 U.S. Navy Fleet Experiment, July 9-20.

                                 

The Trident Warrior scenarios were executed in a practice mine-field laid by the U.S. Navy off-shore of the Marine Corp Base at Camp Pendleton, California. SeaFox™ suc-cessfully performed over 15 mine hunting and neutralization missions from the Tex-tron/AAI CUSV against both moored and bottom mines and under differing sea conditions.

“Trident Warrior 2012 demonstrated once again that SeaFox™ is more than capable of meeting the demand for safe and efficient mine disposal capabilities from unmanned off-board platforms. The ability to operate not only from traditional shipboard-facilities but also from almost any type of autonomous platform is a clear signal of SeaFox’s™ outstanding flexibility and versatility,” said Sergio Diehl, President of ATLAS North America.

                                 

The SeaFox™ mine neutralization system, delivered by ATLAS North America (ATLAS NA), a subsidiary of the German-based ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, once again proved its effectiveness in performing unmanned mine countermeasure missions, when participating in Trident Warrior 2012 U.S. Navy Fleet Experiment, July 9-20.

                                 

The SeaFox™ is a one-shot mine disposal vehicle, used for semi-autonomous disposal of naval mines and other ordnance found at sea. It is able to automatically relocate previously acquired positions of underwater objects within minutes with the integrated homing sonar. Upon relocation, these objects can be further identified using the onboard CCTV camera and destroyed by the use of a built-in, large caliber shaped charge. It can easily be deployed from a wide range of platforms, including dedicated Mine Countermeasure (MCM) vessels, surface combatants, crafts of opportunity, Rhibs, helicopters, and Unmanned Surface and Subsurface Vessels. The SeaFox™ is currently in operation with ten different navies worldwide, including the U.S. Navy, making it the most successful mine disposal system in the world.

US Navy's Unmanned SeaFox Submarines Play a Dangerous Game of Minesweeper

The incredible innovations made possible by the United States military never fail to impress, and the unmanned SeaFox falls right into line with some of the coolest automated gadgetry lurking beneath the water.

Iran is on the verge of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic location the US. refuses to lose access to, and the SeaFox is one of the key components that might keep Hormuz open. The SeaFox’s function is to detect and eradicate mines, of both the drifting and floating variety.

Not only is this vehicle armed with a TV camera, sonar capabilities, and explosives, it also manages to house all of that tech goodness in a four-foot-long, 100-pound frame. In other words, if you stood this submarine on its end, it'd be shorter than most 12-year-olds--quite small for such a potentially destructive device.

Naval captains control the subs by a fiber optic cable, which streams the video from the submerged camera back to the ship. The reach of the SeaFox is a bit limited, which makes sense considering its size: It can go as deep as 300 meters underwater and reach a top speed of six knots, or about seven miles per hour.

The submarines cost around $100,000 each to produce, which, considering reports of military spending might not sound too steep. That may be so if not for the fact that a successful elimination of a mine also leads to the destruction of the SeaFox itself. Yep, every mission is a suicide mission for these remote-controlled subs (hence the aforementioned explosives).

It will be fascinating to see how worthwhile the SeaFox turns out to be, considering its high cost and irreplaceability. I can’t imagine much could be salvaged after a submarine strapped with explosives detonates a mine.

Actually, make that none.

US Navy deploys SeaFox submarines to Persian Gulf for universal mine control

Tasked with mine detection and eradication in the Persian Gulf, the US Navy has sent a fleet of unmanned submarines to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open in Iran. Dubbed the SeaFox, each vehicle houses an underwater TV camera, sonar and a dose of explosives. Tipping the scales at less than 100 pounds, the subs are about four feet in length and are controlled via fiber optic cable that sends the live feed back to the captain of each ship. SeaFoxes can dive to depths of 300 meters and boasts a top speed of six knots. The units are thrust into action from helicopters, small rubber boats and off the rear of minesweepers and are capable of disposing of the aforementioned weapons of both the floating and drifting sort. There is one small catch: the $100,000 submarine destroys itself in the process, making each successful trek a suicide mission of sorts.

 SeaFox