MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. Russia’s state arms seller Rosoboronexport will feature the top-notch Klavesin-1RE submerged autonomous drone at the St. Petersburg International Maritime Defense Show, the company’s press office reported on Tuesday.
"Rosoboronexport closely watches trends on the global arms market. The main focus now is on unmanned military equipment and robotic systems. Unmanned vehicles and systems are expected to be used in all environments - on land, in the air, on and under the water," the press office quoted Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev as saying.
"Among those advanced hi-tech systems developed by the Russian defense industry is the Klavesin-1RE (Harpsichord), the latest autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle. This is an entirely indigenous Russian innovation, which has a number of unique characteristics, enabling it to hold top positions in its segment. This product will be in demand both in this country and among international customers. We will be exhibiting the underwater drone to our international partners shortly at the forthcoming International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg," the chief executive said.
The Klavesin-1RE is designed to perform surveillance and search operations, inspect bottom objects at depths ranging from 5 to 6,000 meters when operating in autonomous mode and also in adjustment mode via a hydroacoustic communication channel from its carrier vessel, Rosoboronexport specified.
The top-notch submerged drone makes it possible to conduct bottom topography survey using a sonar and identify objects worthy of detailed examination on board the carrier vessel. It is capable of inspecting underwater objects in detail using a sonar, TV and electromagnetic sensors, as well as of automatically identifying and tracking extended objects using TV and electromagnetic locators. In addition, the drone can perform acoustic profiling of the seabed and measure environmental parameters across the entire range of operational depths and motion speeds, it said.
The latest underwater drone can operate in any possible hydrological conditions, in Sea State 3 and at water temperatures ranging from -4°C to +35°C. Launch and recovery operations involving the underwater drone can be carried out at a wind velocity of up to 15 m/s and the system can be stored and transported at ambient temperatures ranging from -50°C to +70°C, Rosoboronexport said.