 New Technologies to Meet Emerging Threats
Now in its 23rd year UDT is Europe’s only dedicated Undersea Defence Technology conference and exhibition. UDT unites naval procurement specialists, defence scientists and leading technology providers for three days of discussion, networking and the examination of new technologies.
The conference covers a large area of undersea defence technology including network centric warfare and communication, maritime security and force protection and unmanned vehicles. The emphasis is very much on preparing for the future by indentifying today the factors that are shaping tomorrow’s landscape.
Network Centric Warfare and Communications
In an age where information superiority is key, undersea assets often remain disadvantaged by their inability to readily exchange and share information with surface units and shore bases. Navies, research laboratories and industry are today exploring a series of techniques and technologies that may meet the broadest range of submarine connectivity requirements. No single technology solution presents an answer to the underwater connectivity problem; rather a range of solutions are being developed including recoverable communications buoys, two-way expandable communication buoys, gateway buoys, tactical paging devices, laser communications and acoustic modems.
This is reflected in a number of sessions at this year’s conference. Papers include Gateway Buoy Technologies: providing low cost global communication to submerged assets and Laser Communication Above and Under Water.
Maritime Security and Force Protection
In recent years there have been significant changes to what had previously been clearly defined defence responsibilities of countries, states and smaller communities. In particular the seas around Europe are areas of significant uncertainty and vulnerability. As a result, nations and vital economic international networks must reshape their defence forces and civil security to meet today’s threats. These conference sessions will appeal to non-defence sectors such as port authorities, ministries of transportation, main sea port authorities, coastguard and police, as well as military delegates.
Papers include Maritime Port and Coastal Security System, Growing Threats to Military Shipping and Oil and Gas Industries and Rapidly Deployable Underwater Surveillance System.
 Unmanned Vehicles
There is no doubt that the continued development and exploitation of autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) represents a critical thread in the future of undersea plans of many navies. Leveraging from UUV technology and expertise already resident in an established commercial, scientific and academic community, military users have recognised the contribution that autonomous underwater vehicles can make in missions such as mine reconnaissance, route survey, port surveillance and rapid environmental assessment.
The UDT conference will discuss the merits of autonomy versus remote control, the lessons learned from oil, gas and mining subsea operations and the technology challenges associated with meeting new extended reach military operations. Specific papers include Harbour Reconnaissance Trials with UUV, and Underwater IED Clearance in Harbours Using Wirelessly Controlled AUVs.
 UDT Exhibition
Running concurrently with the conference in the same venue will be an exhibition featuring a diversity of products, technologies and services for the undersea defence sector. EdgeTech Marine will showcase their Littoral Mine Countermeasures Sonar (LMCS), which is a highly advanced Dynamically Focused Multi-Pulse Side Scan Sonar System. The LMCS System combines EdgeTech’s Multi-Pulse technology for high speed rapid deployment mine detection, along with dynamically focused transducers for high resolution mine detection at long range (600 kHz). Eurotorp will display both their MU90 and A244/S MOD. 3 Lightweight Torpedo mock ups. First time exhibitor Gate Elektronik will display their range of Unmanned Water Systems including an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and their Single Shot Rov (SSR). Kollmorgen Electro-Optical, the sole designer and manufacturer of all periscopes and optronic systems for the U.S. Navy, will display two of their international systems: a periscope system with search, attack and IR capabilities allowing 24 hour functionality and also a non-hull penetrating sensor system.
UDT 2010 takes place at the Congress Centre Hamburg, Germany from 8 – 10 June.
www.udt-europe.com |
