RIVIERA BEACH, Fla., 8 April 2007. Lockheed Martin has delivered the first production remote minehunting vehicle (RMV) to the U.S. Navy. This delivery is a significant milestone in the development of the mine countermeasures capability for both DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers and the littoral combat ship (LCS).
The RMV is a semi-submersible, semi-autonomous, unmanned vehicle that tows a variable-depth sensor to detect, localize, classify, and identify bottom and moored sea mines at a safe distance from friendly ships. The RMV transmits real-time mine sonar images to its host ship over a data link system.
In 2005, the Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a low-rate initial production contract for three RMVs. In 2006, a contract for four more RMVs was awarded. Total contract value is $118 million. The RMV is produced at Lockheed Martin's Riviera Beach, Fla., facility.
The RMV is the integral mobile subsystem of the Navy's AN/WLD-1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS). The RMS includes the RMV, a launch and retrieval system for the RMV, the RMV-towed sonar sensor, advanced communications equipment, and software that integrates RMS into the host ship's combat system.
The RMS is scheduled for its first operational deployment aboard USS Bainbridge in late 2007.
