[Courtesy of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration]
SEOUL -- LIG Nex1, a defense contractor in South Korea, will develop an underwater mine detector for naval operations. Equipped with a supersonic camera and Sonar, the underwater robot can self-drive for more than 20 hours to find mines, monitor enemy infiltration routes and collect topographic Information for civilian rescue operations.
LIG Nex1 was selected to develop the underwater mine detector using cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous underwater driving and obstacle avoidance, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) controlled by the defense ministry said. LIG Nex1 produces a wide range of advanced precision electronic systems such as missiles, torpedoes, radars, tactical communication systems and naval combat systems.
"The self-driving underwater mine detector to be developed with indigenous technology will improve our military's ability to engage in mine countermeasures operation and further contribute to the development of defense robot technology," Won Ho-jun, a senior DAPA official, said in a statement on December 9.
The mine detector can monitor infiltration routes and collect topographic Information, DAPA said that the new device can greatly reduce time and ensure safe and efficient operations. South Korea's military has used Sonar installed in ships or explosive disposal teams to search and remove mines, causing concern over human casualties. Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect objects on or under the surface of the water, such as other vessels.
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