Feature 5 | MINE COUNTERMEASURES
programme enters full rate production in
2010. There is also potential for international
sales.
Part of a larger group of products designed
to detect or destroy mines in the sea, the littoral
region, on beachheads, or on the ground, the
ALMDS uses lasers to detect mines in the
ocean at depths sufficient to protect ships.
Mounted in an H-60 helicopter, an ALMDS
unit is flown ahead of vessels to determine if
mines lie in the ships’ path. Two units have
already been delivered under LRIP Lot 1, and
the US Navy is performing operational tests The Archerfish mine neutralisation
on them. The units could be made available system is to be installed on the US navy’s
to the fleet if needed. The purpose of the Avenger class mine countermeasure
All of the US Navy’s Osprey class minehunters airborne mine countermeasures product is vessels, making Archerfish the ‘Common
have now been decommissioned. to help give the US Navy what it calls ‘assured Neutraliser’ to be used by US mine
access’. countermeasures forces.
Also in March, Raytheon Co received a
are being developed independently of the US$7.7 million US Navy contract for low
LCS ‘seaframe’ and provide the LCS the rate initial production of three AN/ASQ- Charles ‘Tom’ Bush, vice president of
ability to adapt its payload to meet dynamic 235 airborne mine neutralisation systems Seapower Capability Systems, noting that
mission challenges. Construction of the (AMNS). The contract follows a successful the aim of the AN/SQS-20A and AMNS is
General Dynamics LCS began in January ‘Milestone C’ review in which the system’s ‘remove sailors and the ship from the dangers
2006. The ship is expected to be delivered design was validated by the US Navy and of the minefield’.
to the US Navy later this year. approved to advance to low rate initial AMNS consists of a helicopter-based
In March, Northrop Grumman Corp’s production. control console, as well as a launch and
airborne laser mine detection system AMNS will be deployed by the MH-60S handling system (LHS) equipped with
(ALMDS) received approval for low- multi-mission helicopter to locate and destroy four unmanned Archerfish neutraliser
rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 2 from mines previously detected by Raytheon’s AN/ vehicles that destroy mines via remote
the US Navy. The company will produce AQS-20A minehunting sonar system. control from the operator in the helicopter.
three ALMDS units for approximately ‘With AN/AQS-20A and AMNS, we Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
US$25 million under the contract. It is are providing the Navy with an end-to- is the prime production supplier for the
anticipated that the company will produce end solution - detect to neutralise,’ claimed AMNS programme, working closely with
25 units over the next five years when the Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems’ its international partner, BAE Systems, in
Waterlooville in the UK, the producer of
the Archerfish and the system’s deployment
mechanism.
NATO developing ‘mine jammer’
BAE Systems has also recently secured
a contract for the mine neutralisation
systems under the airborne mine
NATO’s Undersea Research Centre is developing a radical new approach neutralisation programme. The company’s
to countering influence mines, a concept that was revealed by Lieutenant Archerfish mine neutralisers are designed
Commander Rob Cornick, programme officer for expeditionary mine warfare, to be launched from helicopters, ships,
during the Defence IQ conference Underwater Battlespace 2008 held at the Café or fast rigid hull inflatable boats, and,
Royal, London, 24-25 January. once in the water, utilises sonar to allow
Until now influence mines have been countered by towing decoys or the its operators to re-locate mines. The
mines have been detected and then neutralised with remotely or autonomous Archerfish is also fitted with an onboard
underwater vehicles. The new concept involves the electronic neutralisation camera, and is exploded by remote
device (END), which is a jammer. control to detonate mines. In October
Suspected minefields can be sown with ENDs using robot vehicles either to 2007, the US Navy also awarded the
neutralise the mines permanently or temporarily. The END has to be sent down company a contract to install Archerfish
within 5m of the mine and is currently 1m long and costs about US$4200. on its Avenger class mine countermeasure
The NURC is working on reducing both size and costs as well as improving vessels, thus making Archerfish the
performance to use the END either to protect the passage of high value units or to ‘Common Neutraliser’ to be used by US
neutralise minefields to which minehunters cannot gain access. mine countermeasures forces. WT
28 Warship Technology May 2008
WT May 08 - p27+28+29.indd 28 23/04/2008 16:17:44
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