QinetiQ : increases underwater signature testing capability at MOD Portland Bill

QinetiQ has increased the capacity of its vessel testing facility with the addition of a new water tank that will enable larger uncrewed mine hunting vessels' magnetic fields to be measured and lowered to counter underwater threats.

The Magnetic Assessment Services team, based at MOD Portland Bill in Dorset, has installed a new water tank which, at six metres long by two metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, is large enough to test UUVs being used as part of the UK's minehunting capability (MHC) programme.

The tank allows the team to record the vessels' data and that of its component parts, which together make up the vessel's magnetic signature - the unique marker it leaves when it disturbs the earth's magnetic field as it moves - that threats such as undersea mines use as their trigger to detonate.

The facility at MOD Portland Bill, which is managed by QinetiQ on behalf of the Ministry of Defence under the Long Term Partnering Agreement, also certifies uncrewed vessels for safe operation in mine threat, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Unexploded Ordnance environments.

The investment is a key step in assisting the military's future de-mining operations and for protecting and preventing the loss of valuable uncrewed assets.

Jim Graham, Managing Director Maritime and Land, QinetiQ, said: "This investment demonstrates QinetiQ's commitment to assisting the Royal Navy deploy safely and enhance the maritime security of all allied nations at pace."

The new, large water tank at MOD Portland Bill will complement existing medium and smaller-sized tanks, enabling more military-grade products to reach the test stage as they are developed.

Jim added: "We are also opening our doors via our Innovation Gateway to those firms that are developing new generations of unmanned underwater and surface vessels to be able to use it to test their capabilities and ensure global maritime security extends into the future."

QinetiQ has been measuring and helping to reduce the magnetism of the UK's underwater military assets for more than 10 years, supporting the Royal Navy to ensure vessel magnetic signature levels are known before deployment and reduced as much as possible.

Testing takes place in a magnetically controlled area utilising a large coil system that replicates any world-wide magnetic field or can locally reduce it to zero, making it ideal for this type of testing.