The Remus, a compact yet powerful AUV selected by the US Navy for mine countermeasure operations, had its baptism by fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The vehicle was put to the test, aiding coalition forces in the detection and clearing of near-shore underwater mines laid out by Iraqi forces.

Originally designed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Remus is now manufactured and sold by Hydroid, located in East Falmouth, Massachusetts, through a licensing agreement. The Remus AUV offers a cost-effective solution for a range of military applications. Weighing in at less than 80 pounds and less than four feet in length, the vehicle is easily transportable and can be launched over the side of a small vessel. Remus enables operations to be conducted either covertly, or in areas too dangerous for human intervention.

Shortly after the onset of the war in Iraq, the British cargo ship, Sir Galahad, loaded with over 232 tons of water, food, and other emergency supplies, was bound for the port of Umm Qasr. However, mines were detected in the area and the ship was forced to remain offshore until mine clearance operations could be conducted.

For the mine location and clearance operation, the US Navy enlisted the service of their newly formed Naval Special Clearance Team One, comprised of highly skilled Navy Seal divers, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) divers, and Marine Corps forces. Remus helped these forces find and clear the mines, and the vessel was able to deliver its badly needed aid to the Iraqi people.

The torpedo-shaped Remus was used extensively to search a pre-programmed track looking for mine-like objects. The vehicle is capable of operating to depths of 330 feet (100m) and covering ranges of over 60 nautical miles on a single mission. The system will operate for up to 22 hours at the optimal speed of 3 knots, and up to eight hours at speeds of up to 5 knots.

It carries a payload of standard sensors and instrumentation, including an acoustic Doppler current profiler, conductivity temperature and depth sensors, light scattering sensors, and the sidescan sonar used to detect the mines. Navigational sensors include long-baseline and ultra-short baseline acoustic navigation, optional GPS, an RD Instruments Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), and a gyro-assisted heading sensor. The high positioning accuracy allows Remus to maintain trackline following and target localization to a level of accuracy unrivaled by other means of data collection.

US Navy Rear Admiral Paul Ryan said, "This first wartime deployment of the Remus AUV system indicates that it proved invaluable in conducting surveys in the vicinity of Umm Qasr."

An unknown number of Remus units are still in operation throughout the Middle East, and will continue to play a key role in ensuring the safety of regional ports and harbors.

We spoke to Hydroid's Ken Jordan about the Iraq operation, the first successful wartime deployment of an autonomous underwater vehicle.

UW: When did you become aware that the Remus would be used in the Iraq conflict?
KJ: We were first contacted by our Navy clients in early February 2003 and advised that Remus systems would be deployed in the Arabian Gulf to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. A primary mission for the naval mine hunting forces was to clear the deepwater port of Umm Qasr to enable the delivery of humanitarian supplies. The US Navy sent its newest mine warfare asset, the Naval Special Clearance Team One (NSCT-1) to the Gulf. This group is comprised of Navy SEAL divers, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) divers, and Marine Corps force reconnaissance divers, as well as dolphins and Remus AUVs.

UW: Were any difficulties encountered during the operation? Were any of the AUVs lost?
KJ: NSCT-1 conducted the mine-hunting operations under extremely adverse conditions. A major complication was the fact that fighting was ongoing in very close proximity to the area that required clearing. At a Mine Warfare Association conference held in early May 2003, Commander Tom Green, an EOD program manager at Naval Sea Systems Command, stated that when the Navy divers were flying into Umm Qasr to start the mine clearing operation there was still fighting going on in the port of Umm Qasr, a half mile away.
Commander Green further noted that NSCT-1 had to provide its own security and man the perimeter in oftentimes "dicey" situations. Rear Admiral Paul Ryan, commander of Mine Warfare Command, said, "This really was combat mine clearing, not slow, deliberate blue water mine clearing like we practiced out here in the Gulf of Mexico - a real testament to the dedication of our forces and our coalition partners."
At the same Mine Warfare Association conference, Rear Admiral Robert Natter, Commander of Fleet Forces Command and Atlantic Fleet, commented that the marine mammals and Remus AUV systems, "Éturned out to be our most capable assets there. These two assets were able to do the important mine clearing and mine identification mission very fast, very effectively." Rear Admiral Ryan concurred, calling the Remus a "big success." Mine clearance operations in Umm Qasr took 72 hours. Commander Green stated that some officials predicted it could have taken five days without the Remus systems. Other than operating in a wartime hazardous environment, there were no known operational difficulties and no Remus systems were lost during the operations.

UW: Were any Hydroid personnel on-hand to aid the Iraq operation?
KJ: Remus technical personnel have worked very closely with the Navy in providing operational and maintenance support. All of the training has been conducted within the United States and no Hydroid personnel were involved in operations in the Arabian Gulf.

UW: Was this the first use of Remus by the Navy?
KJ: The US Navy has had Remus vehicles for some time, first delivered by WHOI in the late 1990s. There are currently over 50 Remus vehicles in 20 different configurations that are being independently operated by nine universities, three US Navy laboratories, one British defense laboratory, and three branches of the US Navy.
Hydroid first started delivering systems to the Navy in December 2002 following the execution of a technology transfer licensing agreement with WHOI, and have now delivered approximately 25 systems.
While the Navy has become proficient in the deployment and operation of the Remus AUV, the operation in the northern Arabian Gulf near Umm Qasr was the first wartime deployment of Remus systems - and, in fact, the first deployment of any autonomous underwater vehicle.
During the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom the naval mine forces investigated a total of 478 contacts in the northern Arabian Gulf, with 86 of the contacts determined to be mine-like, requiring explosive charges to detonate. The Navy determined that at least five of these targets were either mines, or pieces of ordnance in the water.

UW: Are all of the Remus AUVs delivered to the Navy identical?
KJ: To maximize system effectiveness we specifically configure each system to meet various operational scenarios. The Remus system is built on a common platform, and then specifically configured for each customer. The 50-plus systems presently in the field are comprised of approximately 20 different configurations.

UW: How did the navigation software and equipment perform? What improvements can be made in that area?
KJ: The current navigation software and equipment worked extremely well. During the 72 hours of Remus operations to clear the waters of the Umm Qasr the vehicle conducted searches along numerous preprogrammed tracks, with no operational difficulties.

UW: What launch and recovery method is used by the Navy?
KJ: One of the advantages of Remus is that it is highly portable and easily deployable. Weighing only 80 pounds and being less than four feet in length, Remus can be easily deployed by two men from a small craft by hand. The fact that no special deployment equipment is required enables various crafts of opportunity to be used for deployment and recovery. In this instance, the US Navy deployed the Remus from small crafts in the Arabia Gulf, thus providing maximum operational flexibility to the mine clearing operations.

UW: What training did you give the US Navy personnel?
KJ: The standard Remus training course is five to eight days and all Remus customers go through this course. Another strong point of the Remus system is the ease of use and its intuitive user interface. The user-friendly system design, coupled with the dedication, commitment, and intelligence of the operational personnel of the Naval Special Clearance Team One resulted in successful operations in the Arabian Gulf. We anticipate that these system and personnel attributes will enable wider integration into the navy fleet.

UW: Has the Navy requested any changes or improvements that might be incorporated on a second-generation vehicle?
KJ: To date there have been no specific requests for upgrades to the next generation Remus. However, we maintain active lines of communications with our customers and incorporate their field experience into the product to assure that it remains cutting edge.
The potential for AUVs is limitless. We are presently working on several designs that will push this technology even further to remove man and tethered systems from the water.

UW: What other military units around the world use the Remus?
KJ: The UK Ministry of Defense is currently evaluating two Remus systems for integration into their MCM fleet. We are also in discussions with several international navies and anticipate that Remus will be in use next year by several NATO countries.

UW: Battery life has been a general problem for the current crop of commercial and military AUVs. How does Remus tackle this problem?
KJ: Currently Remus endurance performance is acceptable at 22 hours. Our engineers are evaluating new technologies and improvements to existing technologies that will enable us to extend the mission duration while maintaining the same physical size of the Remus.

UW: Do you see AUVs being used offensively (as a stealthy spying tool), rather than defensively (mine countermeasure operations)?
KJ: We believe the potential uses of the Remus are still limitless and technology advancements will further expand the potential operational capabilities of this platform. Obviously the remote stand-off capability of Remus makes it an ideal tool for covert missions, as well as a survey and inspection tool enabling operations in areas otherwise too dangerous for manned operations.
Additionally, there are areas where conventional tethered solutions are simply not possible. Operations under large areas of ice, or under hulls of large vessels are but two examples of this type of scenario.

UW: Will AUVs ever be truly effective intervention tools?
KJ: We believe the future for AUVs is limitless. We can easily see AUVs performing as effective intervention tools, integrating manipulators and torque tools for fluid intervention.