Seagull USV completes torpedo launch trials
Elbit Systems has successfully fired torpedoes from its Seagull autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV), the company announced on 28 June.
The trial, carried out at Israel's Haifa port, demonstrated the ability for lightweight torpedoes to be installed on Seagull, and for the USV to launch them in anti-submarine missions.
The capability is being developed to add to the USV's unmanned maritime mission set, including protection of high-value assets and critical sea areas against sea mine threats and submarines.
Ofer Ben-Dov, vice president naval systems business line at Elbit Systems' ISTAR Division, said: ‘The success of this test demonstrates Seagull’s modular mission system capability, enabling a highly effective Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) configuration of high performance dipping sonar using two single tube torpedoes.
‘The test highlighted Seagull’s unique capacity to detect and engage submarines, in addition to its ability to detect and destroy sea mines – all using the same multi-mission USV system in modular configurations. This new and important capability has, to date, only been available to navies through manned vehicles.’
Seagull is 12m long and can be used for electronic warfare, MCM, ASW, maritime security and other related missions. In full configuration, it delivers end-to-end mine-hunting operational capabilities. It has a large fuel capacity for sustained operations at sea.
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