RTsys COMET-MCM Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

History

The RTsys COMET-MCM is a portable autonomous underwater vehicle designed to detect, locate, and classify naval mines. It surveys the seabed with side-scan sonar while keeping crews outside potentially mined areas.

The system is based on the COMET-300 underwater vehicle platform. It can conduct pre-programmed missions independently or operate with other vehicles as part of a networked fleet.

France-based RTsys Underwater Technologies developed the COMET-MCM with a focus on rapid deployment, accurate underwater positioning, and wide-area reconnaissance. The system uses acoustic communications and Long Baseline positioning to limit navigation error during extended missions. An RTsys product brief describes it as an operational mine-countermeasure vehicle that requires no dedicated launch installation.

RTsys subsequently worked with Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency to integrate the system for the Republic of Singapore Navy. By August 2026, several vehicles had entered operational use. A navy video showed a COMET-MCM being launched from and recovered aboard the lead Bedok-class mine countermeasure vessel. The deployment confirmed that the capability had progressed beyond evaluation, although the navy had not disclosed whether every ship in the four-vessel class carried the system. The deployment was reported by Janes.

Design

Vehicle and deployment

The COMET-MCM has a cylindrical hull measuring 1.9 m long and 150 mm in diameter. Its maximum height is 332 mm, and the complete vehicle weighs 35 kg. RTsys describes it as portable by two people. Launch and recovery can be conducted from a mine countermeasure vessel or a light rigid-hull inflatable boat without specialized permanent equipment.

Adapted recovery poles allow personnel to retrieve the vehicle after it surfaces. A GeoSys accessory uses a UHF radio link to help locate it on the surface. The system is designed to operate in sea conditions up to Sea State 4.

Navigation and communications

The navigation suite includes GPS, an inertial navigation system, a Doppler velocity log, an obstacle-avoidance sonar, and an acoustic modem. The COMET Long Baseline protocol determines accurate relative positions from a network of surface and underwater systems. Operators can adapt the network arrangement to the mission area and required positioning accuracy.

Missions are prepared through proprietary RTsys software installed on a computer or optional waterproof tablet. The same interface supports navigation updates, recovery functions, and retrieval of sensor data. Recorded information can be transferred through Wi-Fi or Ethernet after the vehicle surfaces.

Mine-detection equipment

The principal sensor is a Klein UUV-3500 side-scan sonar operating at 455 or 900 kHz. It produces acoustic images of the seabed for the detection and classification of mine-like contacts. A low-light high-definition camera provides additional imagery. Navigation records allow the sonar and camera data to be assigned geographic positions during post-processing.

Acoustic communications can provide tracking information while the vehicle is submerged. Data collected by the vehicle complements sonar information from mine countermeasure ships. Suspicious contacts can then be investigated with remotely operated systems or specialist divers before any neutralization attempt.

Operational history

The Republic of Singapore Navy uses the COMET-MCM during the detection phase of mine-countermeasure operations. Its vehicles autonomously map large seabed areas and identify contacts requiring closer examination. Navy personnel refer to the underlying vehicle as the COMET-300.

The navy states that the vehicle can conduct an autonomous seabed survey lasting up to 10 hours. Other reporting describes missions exceeding 12 hours, while the manufacturer's maximum figure is 20 hours at a cruising speed of 3 kt. These figures represent different speeds and mission profiles rather than a single fixed endurance.

Operational deployment aboard a Bedok-class vessel was publicly confirmed in August 2026. The vehicles support the detection, classification, identification, and neutralization sequence by providing detailed reconnaissance data before personnel or other systems approach a suspected mine.

Operators

• Republic of Singapore Navy: Several COMET-MCM vehicles were operationally deployed by August 2026. At least the lead Bedok-class mine countermeasure vessel has demonstrated launch and recovery of the system.

Specifications (COMET-MCM)

General characteristics

• Length: 1.9 m
• Hull diameter: 150 mm
• Maximum height: 332 mm
• Weight: 35 kg
• Operating temperature: 0 to 50 degrees Celsius
• Sea-state limit: Sea State 4

Performance

• Maximum operational depth: 300 m
• Maximum speed: 10 kt
• Endurance at 3 kt: Up to 20 hours
• Endurance at 7 kt: 7 hours

Sensors and navigation

• Primary sonar: Klein UUV-3500 side-scan sonar operating at 455 or 900 kHz
• Camera: Low-light high-definition video camera
• Navigation: GPS, inertial navigation system, Doppler velocity log, and COMET Long Baseline positioning
• Additional equipment: Obstacle-avoidance sonar and acoustic modem