Kongsberg to supply new Autonomous Underwater Vehicles to Italy Navy.

According to information published by the European Union, the Tenders Electronic Daily published a contract award notice, dated February 5, 2024.
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Hugin Autonomous Underwater Vehicle at Seafuture 2023 in La Spezzia, Italy. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

This notice details a contract for unmanned underwater vehicles awarded by Italy's Ministry of Defense, specifically through the General Secretariat of Defense and National Armaments Directorate - Naval Armaments Directorate. 

The awarded contract, with a total value of €10,223,208, involves the supply of light and medium A.U.V.s (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) for shallow water. The contract was awarded to KONGSBERG MARITIME ITALY, based in Genoa, Italy, with the contract concluded on September 28, 2023. 

The Norwegian company Kongsberg produces the Hugin family of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, the Hugin Edge, Hugin Superior and Hugin Endurance.

About the Hugin Family

The HUGIN Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Systemwas developed through collaboration between KONGSBERG and the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (FFI), and has been active since the early 1990s.

HUGIN is designed to be versatile, capable of carrying a variety of sensors such as synthetic aperture sonars, multi-beam echo sounders, cameras, lasers, sub-bottom profilers, and environmental and scientific sensors. This allows it to collect a wide range of data, including high-resolution positioning information, during a single mission. Features like swappable batteries and removable data storage support its continuous operation capabilities.

A distinctive feature of HUGIN is its ability to process data during missions, facilitating autonomous pipe tracking, terrain navigation, and target recognition. This functionality extends its utility across different tasks, including geophysical surveys and mine countermeasure operations.

It is highly maneuverable, capable of operating at depths of up to 3000, 4500, and 6000 meters, depending on the model. The vehicle's Aided Inertial Navigation System (AINS) provides precise positioning. Advances in battery technology afford HUGIN an endurance of up to 100 hours at 4 knots, supporting extended duration missions.