ECA Group Wins Two Export Contract for Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV)

: Posted On Monday, 20 April 2015 11:33

Naval Defense Industry News - France

ECA Group Wins Two Export Contracts for Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV)

ECA Group announced that it recently won two export contracts valued at more than €10 million for Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV). On the one hand, a first customer exercised its option for two additional Inspector Mk2-type USVs after ordering two in early 2014. On the other hand, ECA Group signed a contract of several million euros to supply two comprehensive systems for the identification and neutralization of underwater mines. These systems will be implemented on a partner's USVs. The latter will then deliver them to an Asian navy in 2016 and 2017.

This repeated success with USVs shows the high demand for drones in the areas of surface and underwater maritime patrol and intervention.

ECA Group Inspector Mk2-type USV. Picture: ECA Group

ECA Group provides its customers with both comprehensive USVs and sub-systems to be installed on their own platforms.
» ECA Group's USVs include a wide variety of transponders and specialized mission management software, which gives them great flexibility of use with operators working in complete safety:
» Inspector Mk1 is a 7m-long USV intended to tow targets for firearms training and to qualify artillery munitions and missiles.
» Inspector Mk2 is an 8.5m-long USV. Operated by a small team, remotely or completely autonomously, this platform can perform several missions in territorial and inland waters:
» Equipped with a sonar or multi-beam censor on its forearm, it provides excellent support for imaging and bathymetric operations in shallow water.
» Equipped with K-STER intervention robots and a system to launch them, it identifies and neutralizes mines and other underwater explosive devices while ensuring the highest level of safety for operators, kept at a distance.
» Equipped with is radar and day/night cameras, it monitors the water surface, takes action on identified targets and assists search and rescue operations for vessels in danger.
» Furthermore, over the next few months, the Group will demonstrate the ability to launch a captive version of the IT180 airborne drone (connected to the USV by cable) for long-distance radio relay and surveillance missions.

The catalog price for these USVs ranges from €500,000 to €3 million, depending on the transponders and mission software used. ECA Group also provides USV sub-systems to customers that already have a suitable naval platform:
- Dronization kits are used to robotize a naval platform of up to 25-30m in length. Such kits are currently being produced for 20-meter vessels in the Australian Navy. The catalog price for these dronization kits ranges from €200,000 to €2 million.
- Systems for the automatic, unmanned launch of autonomous underwater vehicles and USV-towed sonar systems, as with the contract recently won in Asia.