South Korea’s LIG Nex1 Co. will develop a robotic mine detector that can remain hundreds of meters below the sea for over 20 hours.
A $11 million-contract to develop the robot capable of autonomously searching for mines underwater was awarded to the company by Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on Wednesday. Development is to be completed by 2023.
The robot can also be used to monitor possible infiltration by the enemy, support rescue operations in marine accidents or collect topographical information on seafloors.
The South Korean military currently uses Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) systems on manned vessels or relies on troops' visual detection to find the mines.