Royal Navy puts ‘unusual’ wing-like underwater system through sea trials

The Royal Navy has tested the latest underwater sensing technology during a two-week program of sea trials and at-sea assessment of the ScanFish system.

As informed, the trials involved the ScanFish platform, a towed sensor system equipped with a full oceanographic sensing package, side-scan sonar, a sub-bottom profiler, and high-resolution optical and electro-optical cameras. Capable of operating at depths of up to 1,000 meters (3,300 ft), the system collects large volumes of seabed and water-column data during deployment.

The unit is classed as a containerised remotely operated towed vehicle (C-ROTV), manufactured by EIVA and procured by Navy Develop, and intended to be easily deployable thanks to a bespoke containerised launch and recovery system. It is designed to be operated from any suitable vessel by a small team from the Royal Navy’s Hydrographic eXploitation Group based in Devonport.

The system, which looks rather like a section of an airplane wing, is towed behind a mother ship, according to the navy.

ScanFish enjoyed its first run-out earlier this year aboard RV Aurora off Aarhus in Denmark. For their second series of trials, the team deployed on a Royal Navy vessel for the first time in home waters, the ocean surveillance vessel RFA Proteus, to start to develop tactics and procedures for using ScanFish and exploiting its full capabilities.

Once fitted aboard Proteus, a multitude of sensors and systems were then integrated into the ship, after which the hydrographic team could begin their trials in earnest, safely launching and recovering ScanFish, as well as using the operations centre in the container.

Having mastered the basics, the trials shifted to a more demanding workout in Lyme Bay conducting launch and recovery drills and flying data collection missions.

“The Proteus crew were excellent hosts and supported the embarkation every step of the way,” explained Lieutenant Liam Speed of the HXG.

“The data collected by the Scanfish will be processed by the team and then sent to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office for assessment.”

The HXG team will conduct further mobilisations of the ScanFish system on Proteus and other MOD vessels as it builds up to being deployed to support front-line operations.