Australia buys Hydroid's AUVs

Pacasset, Massachusetts-based Hydroid is one company that is not afraid of going under. The company announced this week that it had won two contracts with the Australian Department of Defense to supply it with its well-respected autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Known also as uninhibited underwater vehicles (UUVs), Hydroid’s REMUS 600 and REMUS 100 are intended to serve as an underwater componant of the Australian military’s increasing focus on unmanned vehicles. (And no wonder: a glance at the map shows how diffuicult it is to keep track of the country’s vast land and coastline.) “The Australian Defense Forces recognizes the potential advantages offered by UUVs in improving undersea awareness,” said the Royal Navy’s Scott Craig. Among the various tasks imagined for the UUVs are littoral warfare — particularly mine warfare — environmental assessment, hydrography, undersea warfare and force protection.

Hydroid’s AUVs are currently being used by many navies around the world, including the U.S. Navy, British Royal Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, and German Navy.