HII announced that it and Thales demonstrated an integrated mine-countermeasure mission linking underwater search, sonar-based classification and equipment for visual identification and potential neutralization of mine-like objects in one workflow.
HII’s REMUS 620 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) searched with Thales’ SAMDIS 600 sonar. The equipment package also included Thales’ Expeditionary PathMaster system and ePOC command center, HII’s Odyssey mission-management software, and Thales AAC’s ANGLER mine-neutralization capability.
Thales software analyzed high-resolution sonar imagery using AI-enabled Automatic Target Recognition. HII said operators classified and localized objects that appeared mine-like, even as the company described the overall capability as autonomous.
For the final phase, ANGLER and a remotely operated vehicle reacquired the objects and visually identified the threat. HII’s announcement says the setup provided a means to engage and neutralize a threat, but does not say whether a live mine was used, engaged or neutralized.
HII said its Sea Launcher system automated the UUV’s launch and recovery. The company described PathMaster as an open architecture that connects equipment from different suppliers in a NATO-compliant mission environment. HII said the system could expand naval mine-countermeasure operations while reducing sailors’ exposure to mine threats. The release provided no numerical results for detection accuracy, mission duration or operating range.
An earlier field exercise pairing the REMUS 620 and SAMDIS 600 was completed in late August 2025 at HII’s Pocasset facility, according to HII’s Sept. 9 announcement. HII said that exercise covered mine detection, classification and imaging. Duane Fotheringham, president of HII’s Unmanned Systems group, said the latest demonstration showed the partnership had moved beyond sonar integration toward a full mine-countermeasure mission.
