WISEX

As part of the Royal Navy’s transition towards an autonomous Mine Hunting Capability, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) invited Elbit Systems UK to demonstrate its proven autonomous mine hunting technology for the WILTON Industry Show and Experiment (WISEX) event.

Elbit Systems UK (ESUK) was invited to demonstrate Seagull™ Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) and her MCM toolbox sub-systems under operational conditions - involving key environmental variables, such as differing depths, currents and tidal streams – in UK Waters in Scotland.

The demonstration took place in July and August and involved ESUK demonstrating specific capability in 2 different operating areas to provide the MOD information on system performance evidence to inform future programme requirements.

Seagull™

Seagull™ is an operationally proven USV which can be deployed for a variety of crewed and uncrewed missions. Modular and agnostic in design, Seagull™’s mission system payloads can be used to support Mine Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, Electronic Warfare and ISR operations - providing navies with a full spectrum of autonomous operational capability.

Seagull™ can be operated in crewed and uncrewed modes using line-of-sight and SATCOM datalinks; and an integrated navigation and safety suite. Additionally, the Mission Control Station (MCS) can be operated from a mothership, from headquarters, or transported in a mission module vehicle to a remote location onshore – as was the case during the WISEX demonstrations.

The Demonstration

The aim of the WISEX demonstration was to provide MOD and industry partners with operational analysis of Seagull™’s mine hunting capabilities; and to provide the evidence necessary to inform the development of MOD’s Mine Hunting Capability programme. Co-sponsored by Navy DEVELOP and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the demonstrations were also supported by Dstl stakeholders.

Through collaboration with our industrial partners, the Seagull™ used in the WISEX demonstrations was equipped with the Kraken KATFISH open aperture multi-beam sonar, along with Elbit Systems’ mine warfare Mission Management System, showcasing a configuration that is operationally proven and that has recently been delivered to an Asian customer.

As well as these detection systems, Seatronics’ Valor Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was deployed and equipped with the ECS Cobra BX-90 Mine Disposal Solution, though no live ordinance was used during the demonstrations.

Experts from Seatronics and Kraken were also supporting the demonstrations, enabling MOD to gain further insight into the mission system’s operational capability. 

The demonstration area comprised two simulated minefields seeded with mine like objects. The first field was located in a narrow stretch of the Kilbrannan Sound, and the second was located in more open waters to the south.

The first field was chosen to test Seagull™’s ability to conduct operations in deep water (over 100m) over challenging seabed gradients with a focus on coverage speed and coverage accuracy. The second field facilitated a test of Seagull™’s ability to operate in an area with challenging tidal streams and more acute weather conditions and sea state.

Outcome

Despite the challenging sea state, the demonstrations were a resounding success, with the Seagull™ USV and her mission system payloads achieving a target detection and identification rate of 100%.