DSEI Japan 2023: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unveils Whale USV

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has displayed a new USV (pictured) at DSEI Japan 2023, which will be able to automatically launch and recover expendable mine disposal systems and smaller unmanned systems. (Janes/Oishee Majumdar)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) unveiled an unmanned surface vessel (USV) it has developed, named Whale, at DSEI Japan 2023 being held in Chiba from 15 to 17 March.

According to company specifications, the Whale USV has a length of 8.8 m, a beam of 3.05 m, and weighs about 6 tons. The system is equipped with a folding mast. The Whale has a height of 6.35 m when the mast is raised, and is 2.5 m in height when the mast is retracted.

The Whale is powered by a diesel engine. The system is equipped with sensors and cameras for surveillance. MHI is also developing “remote control and autonomous navigation” features for the Whale, the company said.

In addition, MHI is developing capabilities to enable the Whale USV to automatically launch and recover expendable mine disposal (EMD) systems as well as carry and launch smaller unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), the company added.

A company official told Janes on 15 March that the Whale USV will be controlled by CoasTitan, a command-and-control (C2) system developed by MHI.

CoasTitan keeps track of a range of UAVs, USVs, UUVs, and unmanned ground vehicles that are equipped with different kinds of sensors. MHI said that using CoasTitan, operators can utilise these unmanned platforms to conduct surveillance, tracking, and data collection and transmission.