GA-EMS to build LDUUV motor

29th December 2017 - 09:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has received a contract from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to design and deliver an advanced permanent-magnet propulsion motor for large displacement unmanned undersea vehicles (LDUUVs), the company announced 20 December.

The contract will see the company design, build and test the motor over the next 18 to 20 months, and deliver a complete system to ONR.

Characterisation and testing of the motor system will be conducted by the Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory (PSU-ARL). The ONR funded a year-long study with GA-EMS and PSU-ARL to assess the operating characteristics of the motor's design in 2015.

Rolf Ziesing, vice president of programs, GA-EMS, said: ‘GA-EMS has taken a leadership role and committed significant internal resources to researching and developing new electric power and energy technologies to support a variety of undersea vehicles and platforms.

‘After completing a review of our motor's capabilities and the applicability for undersea operations, we are very excited to take the next step to design and deliver a second-generation propulsion motor to ONR for further evaluation and eventual on-vehicle testing.’