Autonomous Underwater Systems News

The UK Royal Navy has awarded a £15.4 million (currently around $18,8 million) contract for a crewless submarine to the Plymouth-based company MSubs. The submarine is expected to be delivered to the Navy in two years. The Navy expects the submarine to further advance the UK’s ability to protect our critical national infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activity."Project Cetus – named after a mythological sea monster – enhances the Royal Navy’s experimentation with autonomous underwater systems.

The CMA CGM Group will support the financial and industrial development of Notilo Plus, a Marseilles-based start-up specialized in autonomous underwater solutions, in order to help them launch their industrialization.Notilo Plus develops autonomous underwater dronesFounded in 2016 and based in Marseilles and Lyon, Notilo Plus develops autonomous underwater systems featuring artificial intelligence and data enhancement capabilities. It develops “made in France” autonomous solutions targeting the fields of maritime transportation, leisure and infrastructure.Last December, Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, presented the Jacques Saadé Award to Notilo Plus on the occasion of the Trophées de l’Economie 2018.

Capt. Michael R. Coughlin, commanding officer of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Newport, and James Russell, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM), signed an education partnership agreement (EPA) for undersea acoustic research during a brief ceremony on Friday, March 31. Under the EPA, NUWC Newport will provide research, expertise, and material on the Navy's historic and current role in marine mammal research in conjunction with the museum’s recently acquired collection of historic marine mammal recordings, photographs and collection equipment. The William A. Watkins Collection of Marine Mammal Sound Recordings and the William E.

Falmouth Scientific, Inc. These are small, lightweight, battery-powered, intelligent devices that can be mounted directly on AUVs, Gliders, or other underwater equipment for recovery after their mission duration has elapsed. Multiple user-programmable settings allow for selection of delay, timing, flashing, and frequency options which enable use in a variety of different applications. The Stand-Alone Flasher uses high power, high color-temperature LEDs for optical flashing, and the Flash-Pinger adds a pinger transmitter for acoustic tracking below the water surface.

Capt. Howard Goldman relieved Capt. Todd Cramer as commander of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport during a change of command ceremony on Friday, Nov. 14. A naval submariner originally from Baltimore, Md., Goldman is a 1987 graduate of Rice University in Houston, Texas, with a bachelor of science degreein mechanical engineering and a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Naval War College with a master’s degree in International Security and Strategic Studies. He also…

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport dedicated a new $24.9 million Virginia Payload Tube Facility (VPTF) with a ribbon cutting today, Wednesday, October 15. The ceremony was followed by an opportunity for businesses with an interest in the technology to tour the facility and learn about its capabilities. Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, U.S. Senator Jack Reed and U.S. Congressman James Langevin attended the ceremony. “Since forming the Torpedo Station on Goat Island, [NUWC] has been the center of cutting-edge research of undersea technologies,” Reed said.

Kraken Sonar Systems Inc. announced that its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, Rhode Island was successful. NUWC Division Newport is one of two divisions of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Its mission is to provide research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems and countermeasures.

Rhode Island’s economic assets include a surprising number of prominent and lesser known maritime firms. A recent media tour hosted by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) highlighted the Ocean State’s key role(s) in the nation’s maritime industry. As the state of Rhode Island – along with everyone else, so it seems – works to revitalize a struggling local economy, it has become increasingly apparent that the marine industry will play a prominent role in that revival. In March, the Ocean State’s marine trade industry opened their doors to national trade media, showcasing the important work being done here in the ocean state.

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport cut the ribbon and officially dedicated a new $11 million Maritime Subsurface Sensor Operations Laboratory on Tuesday, Aug. 16. Sen. Jack Reed and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse attended the event, as well as Rep. David Cicilline. NUWC attendees included the Warfare Center Commander Rear Adm. Thomas Wears and NUWC Technical Director Donald McCormack, and the NUWC Newport Technical Director Dr. Paul Lefebvre. "This project resulted in a significant addition to the towed array facility and a major upgrade to our capabilities," said Wears. Under construction since its July 31, 2009 ground breaking, the 40,000-square-foot, single-story laboratory provides secure workspace for the testing, refurbishment, and maintenance of towed arrays.

Capt. Todd W. Cramer relieved Capt. Michael W. Byman as Commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport, July 16, in a ceremony at the warfare center. Rear Adm. Thomas Wears. Commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center was the guest speaker. "Captain Byman fostered an environment that valued uniqueness and diverse perspectives" said Wears. Byman, who has served as Commander of NUWC Newport since Aug. 2005, will report to the Navy's Submarine Acoustic Systems Program Office (PMS 401) in Washington D.C. He holds the distinction for serving as Commander of NUWC Newport for the longest period in the command's 141 year history. "NUWC's technical capabilities derive from the combination of the talent…