ONR announces new project to detect magnetic influence mines

The Navy is launching a new research project to develop a system, carried aboard an unmanned vessel, to detect magnetic influence mines.

The Office of Naval Research issued a notice Aug. 11 for the Magnetic and Acoustic Generation Next Unmanned Superconducting Sweep program.

The new system will use be composed of a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic source with an advanced acoustic generator, according to ONR.

ONR explained that the Navy has been moving the mine countermeasure mission from traditional legacy systems to a suite of mission modules on the Littoral Combat Ship. One of those modules is the MCM unmanned surface vessel. This vessel will be used to carry the MAGNUSS system.

ONR expects to award between one to three contracts priced between $12 million and $20 million by next May.

The base contract details an at-sea demonstration of the MAGNUSS prototype on the MCM-USV while the MCM-USV is deployed from the host ship, LCS or another vessel of opportunity, according to the notice.