Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Archerfish

IOC: 2007

Origin
United Kingdom

Contractor/s
BAE Systems

Applications
AN/ASQ-235 AMNS
EMNS
MCM 1 Avenger

Description: The Archerfish is an expendable, single-shot mine disposal system developed by BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies (Insyte) for the rapid clearance of minefields. The Archerfish has been designed to perform four times faster than other existing remotely-controlled mine neutralizers. Moreover, Archerfish features reduced logistics and low life cycle cost. The Archerfish has been selected by the US Navy for application in airborne and shipborne platforms such as the MH-60S helicopters as part of the AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS) and the Avenger-class minehunters as part of the Expendable Mine Neutralization System (EMNS) which was tested in 2007.

The Archerfish unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is powered by two mid-body propellers allowing for flexible operation in fast transit mode from ship to target and hover mode during identification and destruction of target. It stays connected to its parent ship through a fiber-optic link receiving guidance inputs from the ship's sonar system. The target acquisition requires the use of UUV's short range sonar and TV camera generating imagery for a correct inspection and identification by the remote operator. Its maneuverability also allows for a imagery from a variety of angles. Finally, the Archerfish neutralizes the target detonating its shaped charge warhead.

Operators

United States of America

Internet Resources
BAE Systems Archerfish

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008

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