The Spartan USV is a collaboration between ST & USN, and now it is operationally deployed by USN.

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Warfare Center Enterprise Enables Fast Innovative Solutions for Force Protection

(Source: US Naval Sea Systems Command; issued July 2, 2004)

WASHINGTON --- A new work assignment process enabled NAVSEA’s Warfare Centers to quickly respond to operational demands imposed by the global war on terrorism. A stark example was presented after the recent attacks on oil platforms off the shore of Iraq, which resulted in the deaths of four coalition force members. After the attack, the Chief of Naval Operations approved the rapid deployment of Spartan, an unmanned surface vehicle being developed at NAVSEA’s Warfare Center in Newport, R.I.

The Product Area Director for Undersea Warfare Command and Control, in conjunction with the Product Area Director for Homeland and Force Protection, met with sponsor representatives to develop a plan to quickly transition Spartan to the Fleet to support critical force protection needs. The vehicle’s Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (ISR) capability was successfully demonstrated during deployment with the USS Gettysburg as part of the Shipboard Protection System (SPS) program.

Another element of the SPS program is the Integrated Radar Optical Sighting and Surveillance System (IROS3), under development at the NAVSEA’s Warfare Center in Crane, Ind. IROS3 will be fielded aboard the Navy’s DDG-51 class destroyers. Working together, the two Warfare Centers hosted a joint demonstration of the IROS3 and Spartan at Narragansett Bay, R.I.

This effort demonstrated the integration between Spartan’s ISR module and the IROS3. Two different developmental efforts from two different warfare centers were conceptually aligned, integrated, and demonstrated within a month. The Defense Department’s Technology Transition Initiatives Office provided funding support. The Fleet is now well on the way to having an organic off-board force protection asset that will enable Navy ships to “determine intent” and provide ISR to the Battle Groups. The Spartan team is currently on stand-by to support Central Command requirements for force protection.

The new way of doing business is proving itself by enabling an unprecedented level of cooperation through the new work assignment process. The transformation is showing that the Warfare Centers cannot only use the new processes to be more efficient and cost effective, but more responsive to Fleet demands as well.

-ends-
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http://www.defense-aerospace.com/

From old Strait Times article by CJ:

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S'pore Navy takes the right step to combat terror
By David Boey

LAST Saturday's suicide attack on two offshore oil terminals in Iraq demonstrates that even if far from shore, high-value facilities are not immune to suicide attacks.

Two sailors from the United States Navy and one from the US Coast Guard died, and four others were wounded. Exports at Iraq's largest oil terminals were temporarily disrupted.

The attacks come as a stark reminder that the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) effort to develop an unmanned surface vessel jointly with the US Navy is a step in the right direction. The six-year project, started in mid-2002, aims to develop a speedboat that can give warships the ability to inspect suspicious vessels without sending sailors to board them.

Code-named Spartan, the craft should be able to operate unmanned for eight to 48 hours and have a range of 150 to 1,000 nautical miles. The vessel should also be able to hit speeds of up to 50 knots and can be armed with guns, missiles or anti-submarine torpedoes.

Plans to install sensors which can 'sniff' explosives or other nasty chemicals will mean that naval commanders can deploy the unmanned craft to inspect suspicious vessels while monitoring the process from a safe distance.

Such a capability spells obvious benefits, especially in combating hostile forces not averse to suicide attacks..............

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from The Straits Times 26 February 2009

needing bigger/better hulls to keep it more stable...could that explain why so far the only armament is the GPMG?

ST Engg unveils USV aspirations at IMDEX
May 13, 2009
http://www.shephard.co.uk/news/2714/st-eng...tions-at-imdex/

Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engg) revealed at IMDEX Asia that it has been working on developing a USV, dubbed Venus, to meet naval requirements in the region. The work on the USV is being spearheaded by its ST Electronics division.

The business unit's Deputy President, Operations and President, Defence Business, Lee Fook Sun, told Unmanned Vehicles that work on the USV is advanced with full trials of the system expected before the end of the year. Lee said that Venus will have a high level of autonomy with waypoint navigation, some levels of autonomous target detection and advanced obstacle and collision avoidance . The last area is one that Lee describes as 'challenging but doable'.

The company selected a 9m platform based on a fast speedboat design supplied by a Hawaiian based speed boat manufacturer as the basis for Venus. However, all the important integration work on the USV's autonomy and sensors has been accomplished by ST Electronics, which has in house engineering expertise in a number of areas including simulation.

Lee believes that the basic design can be developed to address a number of potential requirements. 'We see the first payload being a gun if you look at the anti-piracy requirement,' he states. Further out the company is also looking at integrating a mine-countermeasures (MCM) capability and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems. A full suite of Venus USVs would likely include Precision Fire, MCM, ASW and Force Protection variants.

The company has been discussing the work on Venus with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), which it sees as one of its first potential customers. The RSN has experience with USVs having used Rafael's Protector USV operationally. However, Lee is also confident that there are other potential regional customers who might prefer a local solution and added that there had been a lot of interest at the exhibition.

ST Electronics is now working through its trials process and Lee says that there will definitely be full trials of the developmental system before year end. At the same time the company is using its modelling and simulation expertise to develop both the doctrinal approach and the human machine interface.

The company has not settled on how many individual USVs would make up a single system with it preferring to study a variety of potential concepts of operations. However, the companies promotional video clearly shows that the aspiration is that Venus USVs would be able to work collaboratively to detect and engage targets.
By Darren Lake, Singapore

Just reviewing the modular concepts being developed for the Spartan USV.

SuW: 12.7mm M2, 25mm or 30mm bushmaster. NLOS-LS missile (variant)
ASW: FLASH dipping sonar, ULITE towed sonar array
MIW: AQS-14 or AQS-24 mine-hunting sonar

Links:
AQS-14 or AQS-24 Mine hunting sonar
www.dtic.mil/ndia/2005umv_auv/tuesday/mons.pdf

Flash dipping sonar
http://www.thalesgroup.com/docfile/dyn/123...AAAAAAAAAAAA154

Press release (FLASH)
http://www.thalesgroup.com/naval/Press-Roo...programme&dis=1

NLOS-LS (Netfires)
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/sys...s/net-fires.htm

http://www.defense-update.com/products/n/netfires.htm

30mm bushmaster!!! that's quite a lot of teeth! but that's gonna be damn heavy...weight of gun and its components is easily 130kg...adding on ammo its gonna be one damn heavy and possibly unstable platform...

I'd prefer one installed with SPIKE...uses the small profile to launch a hard-hitting strike from an unexpected angle?

7m (3000lb payload)
11m (5000 lb payload)

http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=10964

SuW version include Javelin/Hellfire. 30mm for MIW presumably using RAMICs rounds.

hmm, i was actually thinking abt stability...I'll be very interested to see a stabilised platform on that :D

1. KLS review has reported in Chinese that Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine) had unveiled 2 new naval patrol vessel designs and 1 new naval auxiliary vessel design via a video shown at their booth in IMDEX 2009. I have provided a limited English translation/summary of the articles on a 60 metre patrol vessel that holds up to 58 crew, with an endurance of 14 days. This new Patrol Vessel is equipped with a crane to facilitate the launch up to 4 USVs. Click on the link provided for the patrol vessel & the OPV. These new patrol vessel designs does give an indication of the concerns of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). It looks like the RSN is looking at using a lot more of USVs in their concept of operations.

2. Also at IMDEX 2009, Singapore Technologies Electronics (ST Electronics), as lead integrator unveiled a new 9m high speed USV design dubbed Venus, which will have a high level of autonomy with waypoint navigation, some levels of autonomous target detection and advanced obstacle and collision avoidance. The Venus USV will have an endurance of 8 hrs and be able to operate at speeds of up to 50 knots. A full suite of Venus USVs would likely include Precision Fire, MCM, ASW and Force Protection variants. ST Electronics is now working through its trials process and full trials of the developmental system will be held before year end.

3. The RSN as an operator of both the Protector USV and the Spartan USV had known for some time that both USVs designs have stability and sea keeping issues that sometimes leads to loss of signal. As such, last year, the RSN awarded the Hawaiian based speed boat manufacturer, Navatek Ltd, two contracts worth US$416,000 and US$485,000 respectively to design a new Venus USV hull. As you may know, Navatek Ltd is a subsidiary of Pacific Marine and designed the unique 'M' hulls of the 11-metre USVs designed for the USN's LCS vessels. In the US$8.4 million USN contract, Navatek Ltd is currently working with General Dynamics Robotics Systems.

Janes has a report on the Venus UAV. Can anyone post additional info from that article?

No important info, so I didn't bother posting then. But since it's requested, here you go.

^^^ Many thanks and you are right - it contains nothing that we don't already know.

I've always wondered what's the impact of increased sonar activity on marine life in SG waters.

Not to worry...We certainly will not have any beached whales to deal with in the event something bad happens... :D

I have dived in Singapore waters - What marine life?

OK, before I get hammered - there is marine life in our waters. Just that diving in our waters is not fun and the marine life is not plentiful compared to going diving in waters around Malaysia, the Philipppines and Australia. BTW, there a quite a few tiger sharks around in our waters and they seem to like to follow ships for some strange reason but I don't think whales like our waters (or the waters we regularly operate in) - so RSN's increased sonar activity should not be a problem for whales.

Tiger sharks? whoa.. I seen dugongs though

Anyway, i agree, underwater visibility is bad.

Is is a Tiger shark?? Is is a dugong?? NO! its Mas Selamat

ROFL! :lol:

food....shark follow ships because they know they can get food.

Yup, I heard the same story from from other divers. They tell me that sharks like to follow ships and they will eat any stuff thrown overboard from ships. :P

wah, den man overboard how? the poor guy... :(

from Unmanned vehicles magazines Jun-Jul 2009



sorry ah, i've shifted the location from the original folder to another one last night so thats why cannot se.

Hi spider, the image isn't showing up for me.

Not about USVs but the RMS, a form of UUV.. Not sure if this was posted before..

Video overview and demonstration of the Remote Minehunting System (RMS) designed to detect both moored and bottom mines. RMS allows the Navy to send a remotely operated vehicle into dangerous waters, keeping sailors and ships out of the minefield. For more information on the RMS go to www.lockheedmatin.com/RMS

Remote Minehunting System (RMS)

More on mines warfare here...
http://militarynuts.com/index.php?showtopic=1563&hl=

thanks..

Actually it's also the "rust" from the ships and their anchors and what not is iron oxide which is present in blood. Which makes them smell "blood"

Wow, never knew that. Very interesting.

From my experience, I had seen dolphins, sharks, other fishes following the wake of our ship for hours and I would say most of what we dumped overboard are hardly edible materials even for fishes used to feeding on wastes.

My hypothesis is that they are simply there to take advantage of the slipstream produced by the ship when it is undeway.