The Royal Norwegian Navy has successfully tested the first HUGIN 1000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), developed and manufactured in co-operation between the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and Kongsberg Maritime AS.
Part of Mine Reconnaissance System Program Delivery of the HUGIN 1000 is part of the Norwegian HUGIN Mine Reconnaissance System Program (HUGIN MRS). This program has run in parallel with the introduction and field operations of the HUGIN AUVs in the commercial offshore oil and gas surveying market, both benefiting from common technology development and extensive field qualification of modules and systems. The HUGIN MRS Program has been operated in several phases with technology and concept developments and field evaluations having taken place since 1998. This included a number of HUGIN operations by the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) throughout 2002 and 2003, mobilising one of the existing HUGIN AUVs onboard the Norwegian mine-hunter KNM Karmoy. The operations included successful demonstrations of the HUGIN AUV in route surveying, overt and covert REA (Rapid Environmental Assessment) and MCM (Mine Counter Measure) in national and international tests and military exercises.
Ongoing testing The HUGIN 1000, building on the existing and well proven HUGIN AUV technology and concepts, is a compact designed vehicle which has been equipped with a range of new and innovative features. Extensive autonomous control and navigation functions, ambient pressure compensated lithium polymer battery technology and synthetic aperture sonar (first commercial SAS on AUV) are just some of the technical advances that have been incorporated.
The RNoN will continue operations with the HUGIN 1000, including participation in the exercises Joint Winter and Blue Game in the first half of 2004. From October 2004, HUGIN 1000 will be deployed in the standing NATO MCM command (MCMFORNORTH).
Subsequently the HUGIN MRS program will continue with the development of a full capability production model of the HUGIN 1000 to be delivered 2005 which will include a high resolution interferometer SAS sonar system and other advanced technology.
For more information, please contact: Kongsberg Maritime, Sales departement. Tel: 47 3303 4100 Email: