Comments on: Sub’s Unmanned Buddy

By: R Hutter

R Hutter — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 18:10:53 +0000

I seem to remmber a program to use a Tomahawk CM for the same purpose. It would seem the more cost effective starting point,Especially if it had the ablity for Delayed or Remote launch. As for recovery you need to deal with the ballasting problem of the fuel tanks and engine.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 16:59:39 +0000

What? The USS Seaview used one for YEARS!!1!
AND it was yellow…

By: James

James — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 16:54:23 +0000

You don’t know what’s going on up there, but you’re going to make yourself extremely visible by launching an airplane? You might as surface.
Better yet, launch a few more satellites specifically for supporting sub operations. No exotic technology needed. I think DARPA has “drone fever.”

By: stephen russell

stephen russell — Sat, 31 Dec 2005 15:43:53 +0000

Long overdue & needed.
Good for use on FBM types, can it be Land launched too.
Id even add weapons in denterline Bay for use aside Recon module.
Recovery can be by Carrier, cruisier, DD, FF & LHD LHA types.
Very doable.
Do some tests near Pt Mugu Naval Base CA.
Or near Pearl in HI.
Great for US Customs & Border security alone.

By: DS

DS — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 18:04:15 +0000

:)
waste of money yes, but cool idea.

By: Eric Mas

Eric Mas — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 17:30:26 +0000

Wouldn’t the sub be giving its location away? At least make it the size of a Harpoon missile or smaller–

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 15:45:56 +0000

Miltary capability isn't about "How much you can fit into one space". Military capabilty is taking a box and seeing what you can do with it. Sub surface Navy's "box" currently is the MPUAV. We've seen about 10 of these come out across the services and some were supposed to be " a waste of money". Like any industry, the military also runs of innovation of new technology. With this comes trial and error. All we can do is sit back and see i it works , or what they learn from their mistakes. Besides, if it is successful, it could branch services wth each one getting its own designation for different things. But to some it up, instead of the ludricous overkill comment, you should have just went with the osprey to begin with anyhow. But wait, they even got that to work.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 14:54:44 +0000

Let me tell you, as a submariner a UAV would be a godsend. You spend a disturbing amount of time at PD blind as a bat because the waves are higher than your scopes and surface noise is blinding your sonar. The ability to pop a UAV out to take a high look would make life a lot safer. It’d also help out a ton on the surface, to negotiate crowded harbors and provide eyes in the sky for force protection. A UAV would also be mighty useful in littoral recon missions, or anything else requiring a better eye than a scope barely out of the water. That being said, this thing looks way too big, fancy, and pricey. It wouldn’t fit on a 688 (or Seawolf, or VA) and, being unnecessarily complex, it would probably always be malfunctioning. What we really need is a glorified model airplane with a little more brains and a camera, not some killer hydro-drone. And frankly, the retrieval looks to be next to impossible for a submerged boat, so get something cheap and small enough to be disposable (and maybe even shootable from a 3″ launcher.)

By: Sven Ortmann

Sven Ortmann — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 05:02:53 +0000

The question is why this capability would be needed at all.
It can be done so much easier from other platforms…and even from concrete runways.
Sounds like
a) High tech thinking…hopefully not more.
b) attempt to find a new justification for the SSN force (and new SSN’s).
Maybe it would work, but the inspections of the recovered drone alone would necessitate a harbor and therefore make this incapable of any kind of routine mission.

By: craig

craig — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 20:10:34 +0000

Somebody’s been watching a little too much bad 1970s sci-fi — this reminds me of the Skydiver submarine/interceptor from the old British TV series UFO.
http://www.ufoseries.com/hardware/skydiver-S.jpg