​By Andria - Lentini

ITAMINEX is a specialized Mine Warfare exercise included in Mare Aperto 24-1, leaded by the Mine Countermeasures Forces Command (MARICODRAG).

During the exercise, a skillful team qualified in the autonomous surface vehicles’ employment was embarked on ITS Tremiti. The team carried out several surveys in the Cagliari harbor, in order to analyze the harbor backdrops and guarantee safe moorings in vicinity of the docks.

The MINIRANGER 1 is an innovative vehicle, developed by a team of Italian engineers and technicians and represents the peak of years of research and development in the field of the unmanned navigation. This vehicle is equipped with cutting-edge technologies and, autonomously and reliably, is able to perform a large number of tasks. Through its advanced sensors, it is able to navigate safely, constantly monitoring the surrounding environment and ensuring an analysis of the seabed at different depths, thanks to its two sonars: one connected directly to the hull and one towable.

One of the most surprising features of the MINIRANGER 1 is the ability to conduct dangerous operations, in a full autonomy way, ensuring the safety of the personnel who control it remotely. Its use in mine countermeasure’s activities, seabed monitoring and operations linked with port safety, ensure the achievement of these objectives in a totally innovative way, placing ever greater attention on the safety and security of operators.

During the whole period of the exercise, several observers and foreign delegations aimed at acquiring new experience in this field, testing it on action and in a realistic scenario.

In particular, during the activity in the harbor waters, the USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) detected some contacts of interest. In order to set an identity to these contacts, thanks to the international collaboration within the ITA MINEX, the investigations continued by Slovenian team using theis wire-guided vehicle. Therefore, the Slovenian operators, through their professionalism and new generation equipment, clarified the sonar images of the MINIRANGER 1, discovering ten anchors and a possible submerged historical wreck. The collaboration and synergy between teams was crucial for the success of the surveys.

The Hall and Admiralty type anchors, dating back to different eras, represent a significant detection for the archaeological heritage and more generally for the maritime history of Cagliari. The operation carried out has certainly guaranteed important results from a historical and cultural perspective, but has also highlighted the importance of the international cooperation in the technological development of new technologies.

The joint cooperation between the Italian and Slovenian teams highlighted the importance of the know-how sharing in order to achieve noteworthy results. The conclusion of the exercise officially confirmed that the introduction of MINIRANGER, as autonomous surface vehicles, represents a further and important step forward for the Italian Navy, and it highlights the projection towards technological innovation and the design of advanced solutions for the maritime sector. The employment of autonomous surface vehicles is surely going to redefine the boundaries of the use of naval assets, rising up new opportunities and application both in the mine warfare activities and more in general for all those operations related to seabed surveillance.