Brazilian EMGEPRON and TideWise jointly develop unmanned minesweeper

EMGEPRON and TideWise have jointly developed the Suppressor multi-purpose USV. (EMGEPRON)

The Brazilian state-owned naval engineering house Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais (EMGEPRON) and the local privately owned unmanned systems specialist TideWise have jointly developed a long-endurance unmanned surface vehicle (USV) configured to carry out mine countermeasure (MCM) operations and meet potential requirements of navies for such type of unmanned systems, André Gabriel Sochaczewski, the head of the EMGEPRON Trade Promotion Department, told Janes .

The USV, called Suppressor, was designed to deploy a wide range of mission effectors, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a Light Detection and Ranging radar (LiDAR) and an electro-optical payload; a towed synthetic aperture sonar system; a multibeam echosounder; an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV); an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV); and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Sochaczewski said.

The Suppressor USV can be lifted by transport aircraft and deployed from surface combat ships, Sochaczewski added.

The companies want to build a prototype through a self-funding mechanism, or with the support of private investment, he said.

The USV can also carry out other roles, such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).

The USV is controlled remotely from a modular deployable control station composed of two 20 ft containers equipped with command-and-control equipment, or autonomously through pre-programmed routes.

The hull made of composite materials mounts a mast system for antennas and sensors, a propulsion package consisting of a single inboard diesel engine and related propeller, and a transport bay. A rear-mounted launching and landing pad is available to deploy the mission effectors.

The USV displaces 15 tonnes, measures 11.5 m in length and 3.1 m in width, and has a top speed of about 20 kt.