According to information published by the US DoD on February 3, 2023, the Navy announced a significant milestone in the delivery of unmanned undersea warfighting capability to the fleet. Production of the MK 18 Mod 2 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) program of record has been completed.
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Remus 600 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle. (Picture source: AUVAC)
Managed by the Expeditionary Missions program office under the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC), the MK 18 Mod 2 UUV program began production in 2012 through competitively awarded contracts with Hydroid, Inc. in Pocasset, Massachusetts (now owned by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)). Since the initial production lot, more than 90 MK 18 Mod 2 UUV vehicles have been provided to the fleet.
The MK 18 Mod 2 UUVs form a critical component in the Navy’s suite of Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM) Company’s mission capabilities.
ExMCM forces provide a rapid, world-wide mine countermeasure response capability that supports Joint Force maneuver in various maritime mission areas.
In July 2022, the Navy awarded the Medium Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (MUUV) contract to Leidos to design, test, and manufacture the next generation ExMCM MUUV, known as Viperfish. Viperfish will improve upon the current MK18 Mod 2 UUVs by providing increased ExMCM capabilities.
About the UUV
The MK 18 MOD 2 UUV Kingfish is a prototype underwater unmanned vehicle being developed for use as a testbed for advanced sensors and autonomy.
It is based on the Hydroid REMUS 600 and has dimensions of 12-3/4 inches in diameter and 11-1/2 feet long, weighing 600 lbs in air. It can operate at a depth of 5m-300m, with a search depth of 3 m.
The UUV is equipped with various sensors such as Dynamic Focus Side Look Sonar (SLS), Neil Brown Conductivity & Temperature Sensor (CT), and others.
