Marine drones are exploring a new field
Marine unmanned systems are "in the shadow" of similar flying systems, that is, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Nevertheless, they are also developing very actively within the general trend of creating "deserted" combat systems.
Like UAVs, marine drones are divided into reconnaissance and combat, and in this case, intelligence systems first appeared. Underwater vehicles can be controlled by cable (power supply is also supplied on board the device via it), but the length of such is obviously limited (as a rule, it does not exceed 1 km). Accordingly, underwater drones should be fully autonomous. Which gives rise to a number of problems, and not only technical ones.
UNDERWATER SAPPERS
In the 1990s, the development of anti-mine underwater vehicles began. Their task is at least to detect enemy mines. And as a maximum – their destruction with the help of explosive charges (detonation, as a rule, is carried out by a coded sonar signal). Demolition charges are most often dropped (or mounted on anchor mines), although there are also disposable mine-resistant devices operating in the "kamikaze" style. To detect mines, a front- or side-view hydroacoustic system (GAS) and/or television cameras combined with searchlights are used.
The most common mine-fighting devices controlled remotely (via cable) are the French RAR-104 and Olister, the Italian Pluto and MIN-77, the American AN/SLQ-48, the German Penguin-V3, the English Rail Blazer, the Swedish Sea Eagle, the Spanish Sopro". The depth of immersion of these devices does not exceed 300 m, the speed is less than 10 knots. The weight ranges from 90 ("Sea Eagle") to 1350 kg ("Penguin V3").
Disposable kamikaze devices are obviously autonomous. They either detect the target on their own, or they are guided to the mine according to the GAS of the carrier ship. These include the American EMD, the British-Italian "Archerfish", the German "Sea Fox" (the world's first device of this type) and "Sea Wolf", the French "Coaster", the Norwegian "Mainsniper". They are used at depths up to 300 m at a distance of 1-4 km from the carrier ship. This concept seems doubtful, since disposable devices are quite complex and expensive.
Fully autonomous underwater vehicles are much more technologically complex, but they have a much higher navigation range (up to several tens or even hundreds of kilometers, limited only by the capacity of electric motor batteries), immersion depth (up to several kilometers) and flexibility of application.
They can be used not only as mine countermeasures, but also as sabotage or anti-sabotage. They can conduct various types of exploration, including hydrographic and bottom mapping. The main means of conducting reconnaissance on such devices is also, of course, front and side view GAS.
AN/BLQ-11, BPAUV (Bluefin, Naiffish) mine-resistant autonomous vehicles and a whole family of Remus, Scalpin, and Kingfish vehicles were created for the US Navy. AN/BLQ-11 is launched through the torpedo tubes (TA) of nuclear submarines (PLA) and is also accepted into the TA (using a special manipulator placed in another TA; the negative aspect of this concept is the reduction of the ammunition of the PLA, since the devices take the place of torpedoes and missiles). It can conduct reconnaissance at a distance of up to 120 miles from the PLA at depths of up to 450 m for two days. Based on this device, an improved MRUUV device has been created.
Devices of the Remus series have already taken part in the demining of the waters of Iraqi ports during the second Iraq War. On their basis, devices of the "Scalpin" and "Kingfish" types have been created. They are used from surface ships at depths up to 100 m ("Kingfish" – up to 300 m) and at ranges up to 60 miles from the carrier. At the same time, a Remus-6000 variant with a diving depth of up to 6 km is being developed (of course, it will no longer be mine-resistant).
BPAUV, Bluefin, and Naiffish apparatuses also operate at depths of 200-300 m. The Sea Lion mine clearance system includes three Bluefin-9 vehicles. Tests were conducted in the USA, during which a small autonomous underwater vehicle "Sand Shark" and a container with a mini-UAV "Black Wing" were launched from one Blufin-21 device. The latter started after the container surfaced. The Sand Shark also surfaced, after which the UAV established a connection with it and began relaying data to the control center.
The Manta underwater vehicle was being developed, which was to become the carrier of other vehicles (for example, two Remuses), while the American PLA would carry up to four Mantas. The concept has not been developed.
In Germany, a mine-resistant autonomous vehicle "Sea Otter" has been created, having a diving depth of 600 m. It is able to interact with the mentioned "Sea Hawk" device. At the same time, the Si Cat device is being developed in Germany, which can both be controlled by cable and operate autonomously.
In Sweden, an AUV-62F underwater autonomous vehicle launched from a submarine was created on the basis of the 533-mm torpedo TR62. Iceland, which has neither the armed forces nor the military-industrial complex, has developed a modular Gavia underwater vehicle, which can be used both in the military (primarily as a mine mine) and in the civilian sphere (since it can carry a variety of equipment). Gavia is capable of operating at depths of up to 2 km and at a distance of up to 60 miles from the carrier. This device was purchased by the Armed Forces of many countries, including Russia.
China has developed an Orange Shark mine-fighting device with a diving depth of up to 250 m and a much more versatile Lanshui, capable of diving 2 km.
In Russia, a mine-fighting device "Concept-M" has been created to replace the "Gavia" in the Russian Navy.
STATION WAGONS
The development of autonomous underwater vehicles naturally led to the creation of not only mine-resistant, but also much more versatile machines from the point of view of the tasks to be solved.
In addition, there were devices with an unconventional way of movement. The latter include underwater gliders (gliders) that do not have electric motors and propellers (or those are used as spare ones). They move due to buoyancy control, which is provided by the flow of liquid from the ballast tank into a special elastic container and the presence of stabilizers (such as aircraft). Due to this, there is a constant change in trim with regular dives and ascents.
Such devices are used for hydrological research, the information received is transmitted during ascents. They can reach depths of several kilometers and stay at sea for months. The main disadvantage of gliders is extremely low speed (no more than three knots).
Devices of this class were created in the USA ("Slocum", "Scarlet Knight", "Sea Glider", "Wave Glider") and in China ("Hayi", "Haiyan"). The American Wave Glider crossed the Pacific Ocean, spending, however, five years on it. And one of the variants of the Chinese "Hayi" reached a depth of 6.3 km in the same Pacific Ocean. Currently, several such vehicles are on permanent duty in the South China Sea. In December 2016, the Chinese managed to capture the American glider "Slocum", however, then it was returned. In Russia, the Fugu glider is being tested, designed to solve anti-submarine defense tasks and provide communication with submarines.
Another direction of development is the creation of universal underwater vehicles larger than mine-resistant ones. They should have increased speed, autonomy, cruising range and, possibly, carry weapons. Since the device is completely autonomous, elements of artificial intelligence should be used in the control system. If we are talking about a combat vehicle, it is extremely important to achieve for him the ability to distinguish "his" from "strangers". Electrochemical generators (instead of conventional electric motors) can be used on such devices in order to increase autonomy. An important task is to create sound-to-water communication systems that ensure the transmission of commands to the device (now this is possible at distances of no more than two or three kilometers). In 2013, the American apparatus "Reliant" went on its own without recharging the batteries 315 miles in 109 hours, surfacing every 20 km to clarify its location and transmit information.
POSEIDON WITH HARPSICHORD
In the USA, larger and larger underwater vehicles are being created. Echo Seeker has a length of 9.75 m, a swimming range of 430 km, and a diving depth of 6.1 km. Then the Echo Voyager was built with a length of 15.54 m and a displacement of 50-70 tons (capable of diving to a depth of 3.4 km, a cruising range of up to 6,500 miles) and a 24 m long MAST with a displacement of 64 tons. These devices can carry a significant payload, in particular, have up to two 324-mm TA. At the same time, they work according to the same principles as traditional submarines (submarines) – the batteries are charged during the operation of diesel engines during regular ascents.
In the UK, it is planned to build an unmanned S201 submarine with a length of more than 30 m with a cruising range of up to 3 thousand miles. In France, the D-19 and ASM-X devices are being developed, which will be launched via TA submarines to conduct reconnaissance and combat mines. Norway has created a family of modular underwater vehicles "Hugin", designed for reconnaissance, search for mines and submarines.
In China, underwater vehicles of the "Zhishui" and "Jinghai" series are being built, in Russia – the "Harpsichord" series (weight – 3.7 tons, diving depth reaches 6 km). On the basis of the device "Klavesin-DM", a two-ton "Vityaz" was created, which in May 2020 made a dive into the Mariana Trench. Six months later, the Chinese device "Fendouzhe" solved a similar problem.
All these devices are designed to solve intelligence tasks. In addition, an underwater robot "Surrogate" has been created in Russia to simulate enemy submarines. In the USA, China and Russia, work is also underway to create devices that ensure the recharging of batteries of underwater vehicles in a submerged position.
A unique autonomous underwater vehicle is the Russian "Poseidon" (aka "Status-6"). Its exact tactical and technical characteristics are unknown, but it is assumed that it can have a speed of up to 100 knots, a depth of up to 1 km and an unlimited cruising range, since it is equipped with a nuclear reactor. Poseidon carries a megaton-class nuclear warhead and is designed to destroy large coastal facilities or even initiate a tsunami off the enemy coast. Poseidon carriers can only be specially equipped PLAS.
The massive deployment of unmanned underwater combat vehicles will lead to a radical change in the nature of naval warfare. Their use dramatically reduces the risk of their own losses, thereby automatically lowering the threshold for their use in combat. It will be quite difficult to fight with underwater vehicles because of their small size, while the methods of such a struggle are unlikely to be fundamentally different from traditional anti-submarine defense.
Since almost all devices (except mine ones) are single and experimental, no special means and methods have been developed to combat them. It will be extremely important to create such programs for autonomous vehicles to prevent them from getting out of control or being intercepted by the enemy. It is also important to increase the number of carriers of unmanned vehicles. The domestic fleet has been operating the Sarov submarine for several years, and this year it received the Belgorod from the industry.
Alexander Khramchikhin
Alexander Anatolyevich Khramchikhin is an independent military expert.
