Make Mine An Iver4 Says Royal Navy

L3Harris Iver4 580 uncrewed underwater vessels (UUVs) are now being used by the Royal Navy for some of its mine-hunting and survey operations.

The Mine and Threat Exploitation Group has begun employing three of the UUVs to help it detect underwater objects such as mines without putting sailors and divers in harm’s way. 

The new UUVs are being used in addition to the Royal Navy’s existing remote operated and autonomous UUV assets, which include nine Atlas Elektronik SeaCats. They also use HII’s Remus 300s. 

The Iver4 UUVs are about two metres long and can dive to nearly 1,000ft. They are being deployed by MTXG’s Zulu Squadron, as per a recent Royal Navy press statement; MTXG is an evolution of the group formerly known as Mine Counter Measures Squadron 1.

MTXG also recently launched a UUV from an allied warship for the first time while conducting a joint operation on JS Bungo, a Uraga-class mine countermeasures (MCM) vessel from the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.

The exercise took place in the Arabian Gulf as part of the recent International Maritime Exercise (IMX), the world’s second-largest maritime exercise, involving 30-plus nations and international organisations and in excess of 5,000 personnel. 

The statement noted: “The UUVs help with MTXG’s uncrewed mine-hunting operations as well as conducting route survey operations of UK waters and international waters. The survey operations ensure safe navigation for both commercial and military shipping.”

• You can read more details about both the Iver4 UUVs and the Remus 300 exercise on the Royal Navy website