U.S. Navy's UUV undergoes sea testing, now ready for operational evaluation
NewsJune 05, 2018
QUINCY, Mass. A team of engineers at General Dynamics Mission Systems completed all Sea Acceptance Testing (SAT) stages of the U.S. Navy's Knifefish, a Surface Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) system.
Tests were conducted off the coast of Boston using Navy mine test targets and also included undersea, MCM operational scenarios in multiple simulated mine fields. Following the completion of SAT, the Knifefish system will begin Developmental Tests and Operational Assessment evaluations.
The General Dynamics Knifefish team also completed initial Navy Fleet operator training as part of the transition into the next stage of testing. The training provided the operators with an opportunity to become familiarized with the Knifefish system and become proficient at operating and maintaining the system during the upcoming Developmental Test and Operational Assessment.
Knifefish is a medium-class MCM UUV intended for deployment from the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship and other Navy vessels. Knifefish will reduce risk to personnel by operating in the minefield as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the minefield boundaries, General Dynamics officials explain.
