GPS News  
Canadian Navy Trials Active Towfish

The Aurora Towfish is owned by Defense Research and Development Canada (DRDC) Atlantic, and has been a part of a working relationship between DRDC and ISE for over 20 years. It is an integral part of the Canadian Navy's IRMDS program.
by Staff Writers
Port Coquitlam, Canada (SPX) Apr 24, 2008
ISE's Aurora Active Towfish was successfully towed for the first time from existing route survey equipment belonging to the Canadian Navy aboard a Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel (MCDV) off the coast of Vancouver Island. Built in the 90's for coastal defense, the Canadian Navy's MCDVs were equipped with Route Survey System (RSS) payloads consisting of a high performance multibeam sonar built into a variable depth actively controlled towfish, and a shipboard handling system.

However, over the years, the operation of the variable depth active towfish has become problematic. As the Navy's successful Interim Remote Minehunting and Disposal System (IRMDS) currently incorporates ISE's Aurora variable depth towfish, there was an opportunity to integrate the Aurora towfish with the existing RSS handling device and demonstrate the resulting towing performance from an MCDV.

The integration of Aurora with the RSS handling system was extremely straightforward, requiring minimal modifications to the towfish docking mechanism.

This towing trial is part of the Route Survey System Life Extension (RSSLE) project's definition phase. During the three days of towing, over 20 hours of towing was completed in conditions including 25 to 30 knot winds and sea states up to 4. The Aurora towfish provided very stable performance during unfamiliar handling maneuvers, launch and recovery, and operations with both faired and un-faired cabling at a variety of cable scopes, speeds, and depths.

This indicates the Aurora can meet the Navy's towing requirements for the next generation of high performance mine hunting sonars.

The Aurora Towfish is owned by Defense Research and Development Canada (DRDC) Atlantic, and has been a part of a working relationship between DRDC and ISE for over 20 years. It is an integral part of the Canadian Navy's IRMDS program. ISE is extremely pleased to be a part of the RSSLE program and looks forward to future integration.

Related Links
Naval Warfare in the 21st Century



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


French defence minister casts doubt on new aircraft carrier
Paris (AFP) April 20, 2008
French Defence Minister Herve Morin Sunday cast doubt over plans for a second aircraft carrier announced by President Nicolas Sarkozy, citing a cash crunch, and said a decision would be taken soon.







  • Belgian airline says it will cut costs, emissions by slowing down
  • Airbus, Boeing sign accord to cut air traffic impact on environment
  • Oil spike, cost of planes led to Oasis collapse: founders
  • Airbus boss says aviation unfairly targeted over climate change

  • Germany hopes for car emissions accord with France by June
  • Ocado Goes Greener With Prototype Electric Delivery Van
  • Lockheed Martin Autonomous Car Takes A Lap At The Toyota Grand Prix
  • US proposes accelerated plan for auto fuel efficiency

  • 3rd SOPS Makes Historic WGS Transition
  • Lockheed Martin Opens Wireless Cyber Security Lab
  • Northrop Grumman Team Bids To Bring Order To Missile Defense
  • Thompson Files: Seeing JSTARS

  • 'Invisible' Czechs protest over US anti-missile radar
  • ABMs Make For Much Tension Part One
  • Russia says missile shield concerns undiminished: reports
  • Raytheon Awarded Contract For South Korea Patriot Air And Missile Defense Capabilities

  • China tells companies to provide more diesel to agriculture
  • London summit tackles 'tsunami' of rising food prices
  • Chinese and Vietnam foodstuffs recalled
  • Drought hits millions in Thai rice region: government

  • Big Tokyo quake would cause human gridlock: study
  • Disasters In Small Communities: Researchers Discuss How To Help
  • Raytheon Develops Advanced Concrete Breaking Technology For Urban Search And Rescue
  • Floods, cyclones, devastate southern Africa: UN

  • Expand Networks Improves Application Performance Over Satellite Communications
  • First Responders Educated On Importance Of Testing Satellite Phones
  • Twin space probe design phase begins
  • Communication From Car To Car - DLR Brings Mobile Communications Network Into Operation

  • Canada rejects sale of space firm to US defense firm
  • The Future Of Robotic Warfare Part Two
  • Robot anaesthetist developed in France: doctor
  • Surgeons use robots during heart surgery

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement