VideoRay LLC has been awarded a substantial contract worth $92.6 million USD over five years to develop, maintain, and enhance the MK20 Defender remotely operated vehicle (ROV) platform for the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response (MESR).
This contract provides the Navy with access to VideoRay’s advanced family of underwater robotic systems, which are integral to the navy’s Explosive Ordnance disposal Underwater Response Vehicle program and the MESR initiative.
Managed by the Naval Facts Warfare Command, Pacific, this agreement ensures the delivery and maintenance of complex ROVs that are crucial for executing essential underwater missions that support military operations.
Identifying the Challenge
The U.S. NavyS MESR program is designed to bolster the operational effectiveness of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams, with the Mission Specialist Defender serving as the cornerstone of the MK20 Defender ROV project.
A significant challenge lies in the efficient detection, identification, neutralization, and recovery of underwater mines, especially in high-risk environments like maritime conflict zones. These operations necessitate cutting-edge technology that can perform reliably in hostile underwater settings.
Innovative Solutions
The VideoRay mission Specialist Defender meets the demanding requirements of U.S. Navy EOD missions by reducing risks to personnel, minimizing injuries, and lessening equipment damage. Its modular and open systems architecture allows for the easy integration of various third-party sensors and payloads.
This design promotes fast repairs or replacements in the field, showcasing the system’s practicality in challenging conditions. Additionally, the modular setup permits upgrades as new technologies become available.
The Defender’s capabilities are consistently improved with state-of-the-art innovations from VideoRay Labs, including advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), autonomy, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), 3D visualization and reconstruction, simulation, and human-machine collaboration. These features enable the Defender ROVs to undertake missions with enhanced autonomy, safety, and efficiency.
Collaborations with various partners and component manufacturers expedite the advancement of the Defender systems. These advancements encompass autonomous detection and neutralization of underwater mines,increased operational depth capabilities,options for battery-operated units,and long-range untethered underwater communication.
The Defender’s compact, single-operator deployable design, along with its versatility, power, and reliability, makes it an essential asset for critical EOD operations, effectively lowering operational costs while streamlining logistics.
Weighing in at 17.2 kilograms (38 pounds), the Defender is VideoRay’s most robust system, optimized for precise maneuverability and heavier payloads.Its seven thrusters allow it to navigate currents of up to four knots and operate at depths of 1,000 meters.
Final thoughts
VideoRay’s Defender underwater robots have proven to be an optimal solution for the U.S. Navy, thanks to their advanced technological features, adaptability, and resilience.
The company’s commitment to customer support, with training facilities on both the East and West coasts of the United States, along with its focus on modular design principles, has garnered positive feedback from the Navy.
Through strategic partnerships and ongoing research and development, VideoRay is ensuring that the Defender remains a versatile and reliable tool for addressing challenging EOD underwater missions.
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