Raytheon delivers sonar for DARPA's unmanned ASW vehicle programme

The ACTUV prototype will integrate Raytheon's MS3 sonar system. The vessel is expected to be ready for testing in early 2016. Source: Leidos
Raytheon has delivered a hull-mounted sonar system for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA's) Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme.

Under a subcontract to Leidos, which is leading a team building the prototype unmanned trimaran for DARPA, Raytheon's Modular Scalable Sonar System (MS 3 ) will be integrated as the ACTUV's primary search-and-detection sonar. Designed to autonomously conduct active and passive searches, detect torpedoes, filter passive threats, localise and track submarines, and avoid small objects, the MS 3 is Raytheon's first fifth-generation medium-frequency hull-mounted sonar system.

According to an IHS Jane's report from early November, construction of the ACTUV prototype was about 90% complete. The vessel was expected to be ready to enter the water for testing in January or February 2016. In mid-November, a surrogate vehicle had completed in-water trials.

ACTUV is 132 ft (40 m) in length and weighs 140 US tons (127 tonnes). It was originally designed to trail submarines for weeks or even months at a time.

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Raytheon delivers sonar for DARPA's unmanned ASW vehicle programme | IHS Jane's 360

Kewl. That will autonomously be hunting for the autonomous underwater attack vehicle the Russians recently announced.