USN: Knifefish UUV Program Achieves Milestone
The Program Executive Officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) granted Milestone C approval to the Knifefish Surface Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Program. The decision clears the way for low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the system, PEO USC announced Aug. 23.The Navy is expected to award a LRIP contract to Knifefish prime contractor General Dynamics Mission Systems.The Knifefish system is designed for deployment from the littoral combat ship (LCS), vessels of opportunity or from shore to detect and classify buried, bottom and volume mines in high-clutter environments. Knifefish is a critical element of the LCS Mine Countermeasure Mission Package and will reduce risk to Navy personnel and equipment.The Knifefish system…
LCS MCM MP Puts Navy Closer to Fleet Implementation
NSWC Panama City hosted a two-week demonstration in July that verified Sailors' ability to conduct maintenance on the Littoral Combat Ship's Mine Countermeasure Mission Package without the assistance of civilian scientists or engineers. The Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasure Mission Package (LCS MCM MP) Sustainment Demonstration (S-Demo) puts the Navy a step closer to transitioning mine countermeasure mission modules to the fleet, offering Joint Force Commanders mine detection and neutralization capability that does not put ships at risk in minefields. The LCS MCM mission package conducts its mine countermeasures operations through the employment of aviation assets and unmanned surface…
