Saab AB signed a contract with BAE Systems for the design and development of a new mine neutralization system as part of a larger France and United Kingdom (UK) collaborative Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MMCM) project, Saab said Sept. 16.

In March Thales won a contract for the MMCM project. Saab has been working with BAE for the previous 18 months as part of that project to design a new mine disposal system called the Multi-Shot Mine Neutralisation System (MuMNS).

Saab and BAE recently signed a contract for Saab to finalize the design and development of its new MuMNS based on a new Saab Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), as part of the overall capacity, Saab said.

The MuMNS is planned to be the neutralization solution for the whole MMCM system. This will operate remotely from an unmanned surface vehicle, which is another component of the completed project, the company said.

“This ambitious project will deliver greater efficiency at a significantly lower risk to the operator while bringing considerable operational flexibility,” Saab said.

“This is the culmination of some great collaborative efforts between Saab and a number of other companies, including Thales and BAE Systems. It is positive that we are now part of such a challenging collaborative project that will reinforce Saab’s position at the forefront of MCM system development,” Görgen Johansson, head of the Saab Dynamics business area, said in a statement.