Underwater explosion (UNDEX) shock testing on the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS), a component of the US Navy’s suite of mine countermeasure technologies, has been conducted, the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) informed.
The Aberdeen Test Center and Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock carried out the test with assistance from Textron and NSWC Panama City. As described, the series of shock trials is key for testing the survivability of UISS and its ability to execute its mission in hazardous environments.
Capable of being hosted from littoral combat ships (LCS), operated from shore, or vessels of opportunity, UISS provides acoustic and magnetic minesweeping coupled with the unmanned, semi-autonomous, diesel-powered, aluminium-hulled mine countermeasures unmanned surface vehicle (MCM USV).
“The UISS UNDEX test demonstrates the survivability of the MCM USV”, said LCS Mission Modules Program manager Capt. Godfrey “Gus” Weekes. “This brings us one step closer to delivering the MCM mission package to the fleet”.
The UISS program completed shipboard Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) onboard USS Cincinnati in June 2021 and Cyber IOT&E in September 2021, ensuring the program is on schedule to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2022.
In addition to minesweeping capability, the MCM USV will employ modular payloads to bring additional MCM capabilities to the fleet.
According to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), the MCM USV is currently undergoing integration testing of the AQS-20C towed minehunting sonar, which provides detection, identification, classification, and localization of volume and bottom mine-like objects.
It is is an integral part of the MCM mission package, which will replace the Navy’s Avenger-class minesweeping ships and MH-53Es Sea Dragon helicopters.