U.S. Navy Eyes Saab Anti-Submarine Warfare System

Defence and security company Saab will demonstrate its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training system, the AUV62-AT, for the U.S. Navy.

The AUV62-AT is an artificial acoustic system that mimics a submarine.

The Navy will evaluate Saab’s AUV62-AT against its systems through the ‘Foreign Comparative Testing’ (FCT) program.

The demonstration is planned for summer 2018, with an option to continue testing into 2019.

The U.S. Navy is investigating a replacement to its current ASW training system for its undersea warfare training range.

“With submarine usage on the rise, anti-submarine warfare training is more crucial than ever. Some of today’s submarines are armed with heavyweight torpedoes that can destroy a massive vessel rather than simply disable it. AUV62-AT prepares operators for this threat,” says Görgen Johansson, senior vice president and head of Saab´s Business Area Dynamics.

Saab’s AUV62-AT package trains operators in submarine surveillance, detection, identification, classification, and target engagement. The AUV62-AT is an artificial acoustic system that mimics a submarine in a way that is compatible with any torpedo- and sonar system on the market today. The system fully replaces the use of a submarine in the role as a maneuvering training target and can be launched from a ship, a submarine, or shore, Saab explained.