Explosive Ordnance News

Greensea IQ reports it has completed a demonstration of a prototype Autonomous EOD Maritime Response Vehicle (AEMRV) for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and US Navy. Leaning on the capabilities of OPENSEA Edge, the system provides the computing resources needed to power edge perception systems and advanced autonomous behaviors of EOD Workspace, allowing human-on-the-loop autonomy and untethered command and control over the ROV platform.The demo took place over several days in September in the open ocean off the coast of San Diego…

Photos released by the U.S. Navy on Tuesday show sailors collecting the remnants of a suspected Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by an Air Force fighter over the weekend off the coast of South Carolina.The U.S. military began collecting the debris after the high-altitude surveillance balloon was shot down by an F-22 fighter over the weekend at the orders of President Joe Biden. The balloon fell about six miles off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., into about 50 feet of water.China has claimed that the balloon was a wayward “civilian unmanned airship” primarily conducting weather research.

The U.S. military on Tuesday said debris analysis has concluded that the same type of Iranian drone that Tehran has supplied to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine was used to attack a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman a week ago.The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet published photos and details of its investigation into the attack on the Liberian-flagged Pacific Zircon tanker, including debris from the Shahed-136 drone itself.In a statement, the Navy said the drone ripped a 30-inch-wide (76 cm) hole into the back of the ship…

A tug and barge ran aground Thursday night near Deerfield Beach, Fla., while transporting munitions from Port Canaveral to a U.S. Naval facility in the Bahamas.The U.S.-flagged tug Sea Eagle had four people on board when it began taking on water and went aground at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said. No injuries or pollution have been reported, and both the tug and barge are said to be in stable condition.Three of the crew members were rescued from the attached barge by Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO) rescue crews.

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) and Hydronalix, Inc. of Green Valley, AZ, signed a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) entitled AISUM Prize Challenge Hardware Support. Agreement number: NCRADA-NSWCCD-21-419. NSWC Crane is hosting an Artificial Intelligence for Small Unit Maneuver (AISUM) Prize Challenge with contestants from industry and academia. With the strategic goals of developing software that can be supported by a variety of hardware, non-proprietary robotic autonomy baseline component architecture and software were required.

The U.S. Navy uses unmanned and robotic underwater vehicles for a multitude of functions, including environmental sensing, mine hunting, and salvage. The Navy plans to evolve an unmanned systems operating concept that is platform agnostic and capable of operating in highly complex contested environments with minimal operator interaction.The most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future. The 2018 document states that UxS will operate in every domain…

Greensea's open architecture technology on Remotely Operated Vehicles furthered by Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grantGreensea Systems, Inc. creator of OPENSEA, an open architecture robotics platform for the marine industry, won a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) ASAP grant totaling $1,100,000, with option for additional funding, for the continued development of Standoff Command and Control of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division…

Greensea introduces a new hull crawler that easily attaches a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to a ship hull without magnetics, allowing the operator to “drive” the ROV and payloads over the hull. Initial hull crawlers are designed to work exclusively with the VideoRay Mission Specialist Defender ROV. The hull crawler represents a milestone in Greensea’s hull robotics program, which is advancing navigation and localization capabilities for a fully autonomous robotic hull inspection and proactive in-water cleaning solution. “VideoRay is a valued Greensea partner with a dynamic and powerful ROV.

Ship hull biofouling has significant impacts on fleet readiness, ship performance, cost, and the environment. Biofouling results in increased hydrodynamic drag which results in greater fuel use and greater emissions per distance traveled than a hydraulically-smooth hull. A study by Schultz, et al. found the typical fouling rating (FR) of a US Navy DDG-51 class vessel, FR-30, increases fuel consumption by 10.3% over a hydraulically-smooth DDG-51. Results showed that reducing this…

BMT has supported the Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) team in the delivery and subsequent commissioning of the Royal Navy’s (RN) HMS Magpie which will join the RN’s hydrographic squadron, replacing the veteran Inshore Survey Vessel HMS Gleaner. The commissioning of HMS Magpie took place on 28th June 2018, and BMT was proud to attend the ceremony along with members of AEUK, the Royal Navy, DE&S and other VIPs. HMS Magpie is the first and largest vessel to be delivered by AEUK as part of its contract for the supply and support of Common Workboats for the UK MOD. Ranging in size from 11 to 18 metres, the multi-role ‘SEA Class’ vessels share common components and will be modular in design.

A team of Italian specialist Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) divers carried out mine-countermeasures training on Friday, April 13, to prepare for potential threats that may affect international shipping and delay essential sea cargoes.As part of the training, the EOD divers from Italian Navy Frigate ITS Margottini put a floating ‘dummy’ mine into the sea and then carried out a controlled explosion.ITS Margottini is currently deployed on counter-piracy operations as part of EU NAVFOR’s Op Atalanta.

With their main role of conducting amphibious operations, San Antonio-class ships have unique capabilities that make them an ideal partner to support NASA's mission. One of the more important capabilities is the ship's ability to recover the test capsule using the ship's well deck, which was designed to launch and recover amphibious craft. Anchorage also has the ability to carry and deploy multiple small boats to aid in the recovery process of the capsule and contains an advanced medical facility ideal for treating the returning astronauts. URT-6 consisted of releasing the test capsule from the well deck, then carefully maneuvering the ship alongside the capsule at slow speed. Once the test article was far enough from the ship, the lines attaching the capsule to the ship were released.

Washington-based ships assigned to Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 returned Dec. 10, just in time for the upcoming holidays following a six-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and the Arabian Gulf. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), with embarked CSG-11, returned home to Naval Base Kitsap, and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Kidd (DDG 100) returned to Naval Station Everett. The strike group consists of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Lake Erie (CG 70). The air wing and DESRON command staff disembarked in San Diego Dec.

Norco Holdings, the Poole-based manufacturer of lightweight composite structures and GRP moldings, has been selected by Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) to build the fleet of replacement workboats ordered recently by the UK MoD and due to be delivered over the next six years. The contract is for 30+ boats in total, ranging in size from 11 to 15 meters. As the primary composites supplier for the project, Norco will be producing the major components for the new vessels including hull, deck, superstructure and associated multipurpose modules.

BMT Group subsidiaries BMT Asset Performance Ltd and BMT Defense Services Ltd will work with Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) and its team of suppliers, who announced that it has been awarded a contract valued at £48 million for the supply and support of Common Workboats for the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) over a six-year period. Ranging in size from 11 to 18 meters, the multi-role SEA Class vessels share common components and will be modular in design. This unique approach enables rapid reconfiguration for a range of specialized operational roles…

Naval cooperation between India, US and Japan epitomises the strong and resilient relationship between the three democracies. The MALABAR series of exercises, initiated in 1992 between the Indian and US Navies, have steadily grown in scope, complexity and participation into a multifaceted exercise with the participation of Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). The 21st edition of the exercise, MALABAR-17 will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal from 10 to 17 July 2017. The primary aim of this exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations.

Dynasafe BACTEC Limited has appointed Chas Reid to International Marine Services Director. Chas has been involved in Explosive Ordnance Disposal, both on and off shore for 27 years, starting with his career in the British army, the Royal Engineers EOD, active in the first Gulf War, the Falklands, Iraq, Kuwait and Bosnia, and from 1997 Chas has continued to develop his career at Dynasafe BACTEC, working internationally.

Shipping vessels have been advised not to anchor where an object thought to be a torpedo was discovered on the seabed of Scapa Flow, Scotland. On Saturday, February 27, Orkney Vessel Traffic Services informed the U.K. Coastguard that a 7-meter torpedo-like object had been found during a routine seabed sonar survey carried out by SULA Diving on behalf of Orkney Islands Council Marine Services. Video footage was then captured using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which has now been forwarded to the relevant authorities. U.K. Coastguard has informed the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team and the Senior Coastal Operations Officer based in Orkney.

The U.S. Navy with the Egyptian Naval Forces commenced exercise Eagle Salute 2017 in the Red Sea. Eagle Salute 2017 incorporates Eagle Response 2017, an explosive ordnance exercise, to provide opportunities for participating nations to collaborate on an even wider range of maritime security operations. These exercises focus on sharing knowledge and experiences in order to enhance solid regional partnerships. Several vessels will participate in the exercise including guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) and Egyptian Naval Force guided-missile frigate ENS Taba (F 916). "We are fortunate to have this opportunity to strengthen our maritime security capabilities and our relationship with the participating nations," said Cmdr. Troy Denison, Truxtun commanding officer.

Designed to combat below-the-surface terrorism, Sea Wasp is the latest generation remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from defense and security company Saab. Presented at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition in National Harbor, Md., Sea Wasp has been engineered to relocate, identify and neutralize underwater improvised explosive devices (IEDs). While most underwater IED threats are disposed of manually by trained explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) divers, Sea Wasp is operated remotely by two-person teams from the surface, allowing operators to keep a safe distance from the explosives.

Sailors and Marines assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commenced the Malabar in-port portions in Chennai, India, July 9. The maritime exercise Malabar, which was first held in 1992, occurs annually to improve interoperability between U.S., Indian, and Japanese maritime forces. The exercise enhances maritime relationships and demonstrates credible naval power in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. "The exercise continues to grow because we are bringing in more ships and we are bringing together three countries," said Cmdr. Vernon H. Stanfield, from Pittsburgh, and the Nimitz Strike Group operations officer. The tri-lateral, two-phase exercise is held in Chennai, India and in the waters of the Bay of Bengal.

During the Oceanographic Survey Vessel Conference in London, Damen Shipyards Group announced the introduction of a new range of Multi-Role Auxiliary Vessels (MRAV). The common theme running through the series is the provision of a basic platform offering reliable and cost-effectivemulti-role potential and hydrographic survey capabilities to naval clients. With the addition of supplementary modular mission equipment, this new family of Damen vessels can be mobilised in numerous, mainly littoral, naval tasks such as: explosive ordnance clearance and disposal, diving operations, torpedo recovery and overhaul, ROV and UAV deployment, SAR, coastal infantry and submarine support. The largest version of the range will be able to operate worldwide, on the ocean as well as in littoral waters.

The dangers posed by explosive remnants of war in the Solomon Islands will again be tackled with the commencement of Operation Render Safe 16 over the weekend. The annual ADF-led Operation Render Safe deployment is Australia’s enduring commitment to the removal of unexploded and abandoned World War II munitions, commonly referred to as explosive remnants of war (ERW), which continue to pose a danger to communities in the South West Pacific. Operation Render Safe 16 is operating until 7 October, 2016, in three primary areas: Honiara (Guadalcanal Island), Tulaghi (Florida Group) and Yandina (Russell Islands). Some 120 Australian Defence Force personnel are joined by 40 specialists from New Zealand…