Second rMCM vessel begins sea trials, advances autonomous minesweeping
The rMCM programme will ultimately comprise of 12 vessels, six each working for the Belgian and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
AMSC has received a contract to deliver a high temperature superconductor (HTS) based ship protection system (SPS) to be installed on the US Navy’s future USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), the company announced on 30 January.
The contract follows a long lead order from the navy announced in September 2017.
The SPS has been designed to reduce the magnetic signature of a ship, in order to reduce the ability of undersea mines to detect and damage the ship.
AMSC’s SPS reduces the weight of the degaussing system by 90% and reduces energy consumption by more than half that of legacy degaussing systems.
The rMCM programme will ultimately comprise of 12 vessels, six each working for the Belgian and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
The US Government has awarded a significant contract to move along its Polar Security Cutter programme.
The deal, which has been planned since August 2024, is part of an ongoing attempt to bolster Australia’s defences against the potential of Chinese aggression.
Four shipbuilders have been downselected to build the frigate replacement programme, and TKMS hopes the new deal will give it a geographical advantage.
The tripartite submarine project is under political pressure from a grass-roots Australian Labor Party movement, but it could also have practical issues in its way.
DDG 129, which will become the USS Jeremiah Denton on commissioning, was moved to dry dock to begin its technical fitting and testing.