Rostock: IAI and Atlas Elektronik present BlueWhale at the UDT

From a press release by IAI and Atlas Elektronik

At the Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) conference and exhibition in Rostock, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and ATLAS ELEKTRONIK (thyssenkrupp Marine Systems) officially unveiled their latest joint development for underwater operational scenarios such as Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Seabed Warfare (SW) on 10 May 2023. Eyal Shapira, Vice President/Managing Director Air Defence and Naval Systems at ELTA (IAI) and Michael Ozegowski, Managing Director of ATLAS ELEKTRONIK (tkMS), explained the joint product BlueWhale ASW.

BlueWhale presentation at the IAI-AtlasElektronik stand. Photo: Atlas Elektronik

Platform and sensor technology

The unmanned underwater vehicle is based on an autonomous underwater multi-mission platform from ELTA. In addition to state-of-the-art sensor systems, the new platform is characterised by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK's passive sonar technology. In contrast to towed sonars deployed by ships or autonomous underwater vehicles on the surface, BlueWhale ASW can operate at depths traditionally used by submarines to avoid detection. A specially developed transmitter on board an autonomous or manned surface vessel enables the underwater vehicle to bi-statically locate and track submarines.

The passive sonar developed by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK in close cooperation with ELTA in combination with the transmitter solution are designed as a system solution for autonomous operations over long periods of time. On-board processing ensures that the incoming reconnaissance data is analysed and forwarded promptly and efficiently.

With BlueWhale ASW, a system is now available that can fulfil the operational ASW requirements and capabilities in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Background

IAI is a pioneer in the field of unmanned systems in the air, on land, in space and in water. They also built the world's first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the Israeli Defence Forces. In recent decades, the company has developed into a leading supplier of land robotic systems, unmanned ships and guided weapons.

BlueWhale ASW, towed sonar. Photo: hum

The ATLAS ELEKTRONIK towed array sonar system is the result of the company's more than 100 years of experience in the design, development and production of marine systems. The deep-sea sonar system is based on the proven ACTAS technology (Active Towed Array Sonar) and was originally designed for use on surface units. The system utilises a low-frequency sonar system that enables wide area coverage with high sensitivity at depths previously inaccessible to conventional sonar systems.

BlueWhale ASW, communication mast. Photo: hum

Technical data BlueWhale ASW:

Length: 10.9 m

Diameter: 1.12 m

Weight: 5.5 tonnes

Speed: 2 - 3 knots, max. 7 knots (submerged)

Diving depth: 300 m