Kongsberg Maritime has sold four HUGIN autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systems to the Indian Defence Public Sector shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE).
The sale was conducted in partnership with Kongsberg Maritime subsidiary Kongsberg Maritime India.
It also includes HiPAP 502 high-accuracy acoustic positioning and communication systems, which are expected to aid AUV operations.
HUGIN AUV systems will be installed on four large survey vessels that are under construction for the Indian Navy.
GRSE chairman and managing director Rear Admiral Vipin Saxena said: “We are pleased and look forward to making use of the HUGIN AUVs from Kongsberg, which will augment the Indian Navy’s capabilities for coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys to aid maritime operations, and will act as a force multiplier.”
Kongsberg Maritime will provide the AUVs with containers, launch and recovery systems, as well as training and support.
The HUGIN is developed by Kongsberg Maritime in co-operation with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI). It is being updated each year with the addition of new capabilities, sensors and behaviours.
It initially started operations in 1993 and is said to have surveyed a greater distance compared to other untethered underwater vehicles.
Kongsberg Maritime Sensor and Robotics Sales senior vice-president Stene Førsund said: “We are honoured to have successfully demonstrated the capability of the system to the Indian Navy and to have them as a returning customer for the HUGIN AUV system.
“Their new HUGIN AUV systems are configured for their needs today and tomorrow with a multi-role capability. We are looking forward to working with GRSE.”
