Brazil and Tidewise develop a minehunting USV

The Brazilian state-owned company Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais (Emgepron), managed by the Ministry of Defense, and the local firm Tidewise presented the USV Suppressor.

It is a drone capable of detecting and sweeping mines using underwater sensors -such as sonar- or the launch and collection of remotely operated vehicles (ROV).

The USV Suppressor is a military-use version of the USV Tupan launched by Tidewise.

It is a multi-purpose autonomous vessel capable of maritime surveillance, offshore monitoring, and search and rescue (SAR).

At almost 12 meters in length, the USV Suppressor is a project with a much more competitive cost positioning than other similar vessels on the world market.

Its final price will depend on the configuration chosen by the customer and the missions performed.

SEA TRIALS IN 2025

Emgepron and Tidewise plan to have the first autonomous dedicated mine warfare vessel of the Suppressor type ready to start sea trials in 2025.

The Suppressor offers the advantage of lower cost of both personnel and material, providing high strategic mobility, resilience, remote situational awareness with lower risks in the operational environment, and higher efficiency of use with lower probability of human error.

Another advantage of the USV Suppressor is its strategic mobility; since being only 12 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and weighing 15 tons, this autonomous system, and all its support equipment, can be transported by land, by cargo aircraft (KC-390) and by LPD type vessels (NDM Bahia), which would be control or mother ships.

The system is packaged in a standardized 20-foot container for shipboard use, which will allow its operation from Tamandaré class frigates in the future.

The hull of the USV Suppressor is of composite material, and its design can reach a maximum speed of up to 20 kts.

The vessel will be multifunctional, with different configuration options according to the customer’s needs.

The USV Suppressor can be equipped with modern side navigation sonar/sonar-type sensors and a 3D Lidar scanner.

Its structure can receive and operate remotely piloted drones equipped with infrared Lidar technology, night vision, and LRAD speakers.

The autonomous surface vehicle will have superior performance, tracking, locating, classifying, and identifying mines and providing important aids to neutralize these maritime threats.

Navigation of the Tidewise USV can be controlled remotely via a proprietary system developed by the company or autonomously to the area of operations, executing pre-planned scans via encrypted links, with real-time tracking monitored by operators at the control station.

At the end of the mission, the Suppressor returns to its assigned IP location, is picked up and demobilized, remaining available for maintenance and access to data generated by onboard sensors.

Emgepron’s partnership with a naval engineering start-up demonstrates the evolution of the Rio de Janeiro Naval Technology Cluster and confirms Tidewise’s entry into the strategic projects of the Brazilian Navy and Defense.

With information from InfoDefense