Saab signs contract on MUMNS for franco-british maritime mine countermeasures programme.

Saab has received the first order from prime contractor Thales, acting as system integrator of the end-to-end solution, for the Multi-Shot Mine Neutralisation System (MuMNS). The order value is approximately 300 MSEK and deliveries of the first systems will take place in 2022. This order was booked during Q4 2020.
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Saab will deliver state-of-the-art mine identification and disposal systems operated from unmanned surface vessels (Picture source: BAE Systems )

The order received from Thales is part of the Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme, where Saab will deliver state-of-the-art mine identification and disposal systems operated from unmanned surface vessels. These will serve with the Royal Navy and French Navy. "We are proud to announce our first customers of the MuMNS. It's a great success to deliver capabilities that enable these navies to perform safer and more efficient Mine Countermeasures operations, since the operator can neutralise multiple sea mines from a safe distance," says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab's business area Dynamics.

MuMNS delivers a new generation of mine identification and disposal in a powerful, modular system based on proven unmanned Saab technology and Mine Countermeasures solutions. This means unparalleled operational capability with greater flexibility that significantly improves operational tempo, and reduces the cost of Mine Countermeasures operations and risk to personnel.

Initiated in 2012 under a cooperation agreement between France and the United Kingdom, the MMCM programme develops a prototype autonomous system for detection and neutralisation of sea mines and underwater improvised explosive devices (UWIEDs).

The MMCM contract includes three stages, starting with a first phase for design. The next stages, which are subject to contract options, will manufacture and experiment the future mine countermeasures capabilities of both France (SLAM-F future mine countermeasures system) and the United Kingdom (MHC – Minecountermeasures and Hydrography Capability). The programme will deliver an autonomous, remotely operated mine countermeasures solution.

As part of the MMCM programme, Thales and BAE Systems are committed to providing systems to both the French Navy and Royal Navy for two years of evaluation testing. Each system will comprise a USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) equipped with an autonomous navigation system, an obstacle detection and avoidance sonar, a threat identification and neutralisation capability based on ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles), a T-SAS (Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar) and AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles). The geolocated AUVs will use the latest-generation synthetic aperture sonar SAMDIS with multi-aspect functionality for improved classification. They will perform their tasks autonomously with control from a host ship or shore-based station via high-data-rate communication links.

The systems, meeting the operational requirements of both nations, incorporate state-of-the-art technologies including very high-resolution multiview imaging sonars and sophisticated analysis tools to provide unparalleled levels of performance in automatic threat recognition and classification.

The project will be delivered by an integrated team including personnel from Thales in France and the UK as well as BAE Systems. French and UK contractors involved in the MMCM system include ASV Ltd for the supply of the surface vehicle, ECA for the supply of the underwater unmanned vehicles, SAAB for the ROVs and Wood & Douglas for communications.

Thales will deliver the integrated Portable Operations Centre (POC) solution, which will incorporate command & control by Thales and BAE Systems. BAE Systems will provide the Mission Management System, managing the command and information systems, as well as the ROVs, the virtual visualization and experimentation suite.