Unmanned Underwater Vehicles Successful at Talisman Saber

The Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command (NMAWC) Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Platoon completed its support of Talisman Saber 2007 on June 18, executing multiple Remote Environmental Monitoring Units (REMUS) missions off the northeastern coast of Australia. Talisman Saber 2007, the second U.S.-Australian bilateral biennial exercise, began June 12 and will be completed July 2. The primary aim is to conduct collective training and interoperability between Australian and U.S. forces with a focus on combined forces advanced operations planning and execution.

“[Talisman Saber] was a great opportunity for the NMAWC Corpus Christi UUV Platoon to conduct coordinated operations with Australian mine countermeasure (MCM) and hydrographic units during a live exercise at sea,” said Scott Price, NMAWC-CC assistant chief of staff for mine warfare experimentation. “Early indications are the exercise was a great success.” Stationed aboard HMAS Melville (A 246), a Leeuwin Class hydrographic survey ship, the UUV Platoon, following successful completion of a Rapid Environmental Assessment, determined suitability of an access route to “One-mile Beach,” a scenario-driven amphibious landing by U.S. Marines.

The platoon, led by Lt. Melissa Flores, accomplished numerous objectives laid out prior to the exercise in a detailed data collection and analysis plan, Price added. Tactical direction was provided by the Mine Countermeasures Tasking Authority, commanded by Cmdr. Royal Australian Navy Steve Reid, commanding officer, Australian Mine Clearance Diving Task Group. The UUV Platoon performed exploratory mine-hunting ahead of Melville —- conducting lead-through operations while transiting through the assigned route segment. Melville conducted survey operations with her multi-beam echo sounder while following astern.

“Conducting this experimentation within a live scenario-driven exercise also allowed the team to examine concepts for unmanned MIW (mine warfare) systems outlined for the littoral combat ship and fleet MCM operations,” Price added. “Analysis and lessons learned will aid to further refine tactics, techniques and procedures for UUV use in MCM missions." A 15 nautical mile route segment has been completed, with one mine-like contact reported in vicinity of Gladstone, Australia.