Portuguese firm to supply minehunting AUVs to Royal Danish Navy

Portuguese unmanned systems manufacturer OceanScan Marine Systems and Technology and the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) have entered into a frame agreement for the supply of six new autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for the Royal Danish Navy.

The 30-kilogram, 2.1-metre-long AUVs will be operated in the mine countermeasures (MCM) role. Each vehicle will be capable of operating at depths of four to 10 metres for up to eight hours, though a maximum diving depth of 100 metres may be reached.

The six AUVs are designed to operate as part of a team to allow maximum coverage of a given area of seabed. Sensors will include side-scan sonar and high-resolution cameras.

The first three AUVs will be delivered to the navy in the first quarter of 2022. Additional testing will then be conducted to prepare the vehicles for full operational use by the following summer.