VIDEO: Northrop Grumman tests its AQS-24 mine hunting sonar

VIDEO: Northrop Grumman tests its AQS-24 mine hunting sonar
Photo: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman's AQS-24 mine hunting sonar completing initial in-water testing of a next-generation Deploy and Retrieval (D&R) payload.

Operated from the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vessel (MCM USV), the AQS-24 D&R demonstrates the unmanned operations needed to perform a mine hunting mission off the MCM Mission Package aboard the littoral combat ship (LCS). 

Northrop Grumman was the first to field electro-optic mine identification and developed the first long-range synthetic aperture sonar for mine warfare, the first mine warfare unmanned surface vessel (jointly with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center) and mine warfare unmanned underwater vehicles.
The AQS-24B has significantly improved image resolution and real-time sonar processing.

Advanced Capabilities and Performance Designed to Meet Current and Future Minehunting Challenges:

  • The only deployed and operationally proven high-speed airborne mine detection system in the world.
  • High-resolution, side-scan sonar for real-time detection, localization and classification of bottom and moored mines at high area coverage rates.
  • Laser line scanner provides precision optical identification of underwater mines and other objects of interest.
  • Simultaneous operation of laser with sonar provides gap-filling capability and tactically advanced Target Detect and Target ID modes.
  • Thousands of tow hours logged from a variety of platforms.