Barracuda Mine Neutralization System

The Navy’s Mine Countermeasures (MCM) mission is one of the most dangerous and technically demanding missions today. The Barracuda Mine Neutralization System will allow teams to reacquire and neutralize mines more effectively than ever before – all while keeping operators safely out of harm’s way.

Barracuda is the first untethered, semi-autonomous mine neutralization system capable of tracking and neutralizing bottom, volume and near-surface targets. It is the U.S. Navy’s program of record for mine neutralization and consists of a mine neutralizer vehicle and a communications buoy. The buoy provides mission status information over radio frequency to a host platform, and navigation data to the vehicle via its underwater acoustic communications capability. A human operator stationed far away from the target uses the data Barracuda provides to make the final decision for neutralization.

• Delivers autonomous mine tracking and neutralization capabilities, increasing operator bandwidth and reducing risk to personnel.
• Provides enhanced maneuverability and sensor packages enabling near surface mine neutralization not currently possible with existing programs of record.
• Contains a customizable payload section that enhances modularity to perform multiple mission types. A sonobuoy launcher compatible form factor allows for deployment from a wider range of platforms.

Raytheon was first awarded a U.S. Navy contract for Barracuda in 2018. The program is now undergoing formal contractor testing for environmental and performance requirements, marking a significant step towards end-state capability and initial system deliveries for U.S. Navy Developmental Testing.

Raytheon is investing in a larger unmanned vehicle based on Barracuda technologies which increases the operational depth, range, endurance, speed and payload capacity to meet mission sets beyond mine neutralization, such as subsea and seabed warfare and other Navy missions.