INSPECTOR 125 the new unsinkable USV from sea proven platform
MAURIC developed, in collaboration with its mother company, ECA GROUP, a new USV – (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) for integration into ECA GROUP’s range of naval drones systems. The new INSPECTOR 125, based on an operational platform, is designed for high seas operations.
MAURIC & ECA GROUP collaboration for a new generation USV
Combining a sea-proven platform from MAURIC with a dronization kit common to the other USVs in the ECA GROUP range, the INSPECTOR 125 benefits from the latest technologies with unrivalled performances on the naval surface drone market. Designed to be unsinkable and highly shock-resistant, this USV has been developed for important payload and towing capabilities. This new generation naval surface drone is dedicated to defence and security missions such as Mine Counter Measures (MCM), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), Intelligence / Surveillance / Reconnaissance (ISR) or Forces support and protection (FSP).
A sea proven platform
The INSPECTOR 125 is the result of a joint development between MAURIC and its mother company ECA. The platform is based on the 12m V2 NG rescue boats designed by MAURIC for the S.N.S.M (Association of French Sea Rescuers). Originally developed in 2008 and modified in 2014, this craft produced in more than 20 units has proved its efficiency during search and rescue operations in the most difficult environmental conditions. Being robust and powerful, the V2 NG is particularly suitable for a new naval surface drone design
The naval architects of MAURIC and the engineers of ECA GROUP have developed this robust and sea proven platform to integrate a dronization kit featuring autonomous navigation capabilities as well as several launch and recovery systems (LARS) for the various drones of ECA GROUP: Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), towed sonars (TSSS or TSAS), inspection and destruction remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) provided by ECA GROUP or equipment from other manufacturers.
High carrying capacity and reconfiguration, assets for a complete "toolbox"
With a length of 12.3m and an overall width of 4.2m, the INSPECTOR 125 can carry up to 3 tons of payload. In the standard version it is equipped with two hydrojets allowing a top speed of over 25kts at full load displacement, but is also offered with two shaft lines and propellers to meet specific towing requirements. Its large rear deck, its mast and underwater pole allow carrying many payloads and sensors specific to the missions of surveillance, oceanographic survey or mine counter measures.
INSPECTOR 125 is able to:
- Launch and recover in rough seas:
- A towed sonar such as the ECA GROUP T18-M sonar.
- A medium-sized AUV such as the A18-M AUV.
- Identification and / or neutralization ROVs such as the SEASCAN Identification ROV and the K-STER C neutralization ROV. It can carry on its main deck up to 2 SEASCAN and 6 K-STER simultaneously.
- Tow a mine-sweeping system composed of several electromagnetic and acoustic modules in particularly rough sea conditions.
- Integrate on board or on its hull additional sensors useful for oceanographic monitoring missions and other effectors when operating in "manned" mode with personnel on board.
This high payload capacity makes the INSPECTOR 125 a comprehensive and modular tool. It can be operated and deployed from a ship or the shore and is also air-transportable. ECA GROUP also offers LARS (Launch And Recovery Systems) solutions for the deployment and recovery of INSPECTOR 125 from a 50m+ mothership such as OCTOPODA vessels also developed by MAURIC. Indeed, USV INSPECTOR 125 is a part of the OCTOPODA 500 mothership toolbox.