Page 60: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2024)

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HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Mission Systems devel- that it had built and delivered two REMUS 620 uncrewed oped and delivered the REMUS 620, a completely modular underwater vehicles (UUVs) to the National Oceanic and and open architecture platform designed to be easily recon? g- Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for enhanced high- urable and to carry a wide range of payloads. A great example resolution ocean ? oor mapping. of the modularity is the energy system. It can carry 1 to 3 en- The REMUS 620 vehicles provided to NOAA feature ergy modules that when using a Li-Ion batteries provides up advanced modular design and engineering enhancements. to 110 hrs/275nm of range. The open architecture interfaces These custom modi? cations include a synthetic aperture allow the integration of 3rd party software and compatibility sonar module, an additional energy module, and auxiliary with open architecture standards such as the U.S. Navy’s Un- equipment speci? cally for NOAA’s underwater mapping manned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA). and habitat restoration projects.

HII started detailed design of the vehicle in October 2022 NOAA intends to use these REMUS 620 UUVs primarily for with the goal of having an operational vehicle in the water high-resolution mapping in the Gulf of Mexico. A key focus within 12 months, and the new REMUS 620 completed its will be on restoring Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Commu- ? rst sea trials in December 2023. “We will continue testing nities—dark, sunless sea? oor habitats impacted by the 2010 this development vehicle in 2024 and start construction of Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The addition of these vehicles is the ? rst two production vehicles for delivery to NOAA in expected to accelerate NOAA’s environmental restoration and mid-2024,” said Duane Fotheringham, President, Unmanned exploration efforts, complementing the agency’s ongoing use

Systems, HII Mission Technologies division, in an interview of other REMUS models for habitat characterization, marine with MTR earlier this year. “We went from concept to in the archaeology, and oceanographic research.

water in 12 months and we will deliver a production vehicle Globally, more than 600 REMUS UUVs have been sold and to the customer in under 24 months. The REMUS 620 was are operational in more than 30 countries, including 14 NATO developed completely on internal development funding and member nations. More than 90% of these vehicles remain in was completed on time and on budget.” service after 23 years, showcasing the platform’s durability

Last month HII Mission Technologies division announced and its capacity to integrate evolving technologies.

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