UCUV concepts (unmanned combat underwater vehicles)

[Avimimus]

I'm surprised that there isn't a thread for this...
This thread could include be both untethered weapons/sensor platforms deployed from larger manned craft and long endurance (even nuclear powered) AUVs and self-deploying mines....
*edit - at what point does a guided, or even pattern running, torpedo become a UCUV?*

 

[Grey Havoc]

I'll start the ball rolling with this:
http://www.onr.navy.mil/~/media/Files/Funding-Announcements/BAA/2011/11-025.ashx

Thoughts?

 

[Jemiba]

*edit - at what point does a guided, or even pattern running, torpedo become a UCUV?*

Just my own definition, but from an "unmanned combat vehicle", I expect it to be able to return after
an attack, although I know, that there are UCAV, that actually attack by destroying itself. But to me,
those are just quite special guided weapons.

 

[Avimimus]

That makes a lot of sense!
Of course there is some ambiguity - eg. self-deploying sea-mines which release a torpedo (independent of the long range propulsion/guidance unit) but are not intended for recovery, or AUVs which are not self-destroying, but which have much reduced survivability requirements compared to manned craft (typically not deployed in suicidal scenarios)....

 

[Jemiba]

Indeed, probably I should change my definition to something like:
"A UCV (in contrast to a missile) is a vehicle, that attacks by launching/firing a weapon,
instead of being the attacking part of the system as a whole. So (at least theoretically)
recovery of the system minus its attacking components should be possible after an attack"

 

[piko1]

i must dig in to my info i think i saw something about an Bulgaria UCUV but i'm not 100% sure about it

 

[Jemiba]

On the open house of the German Ministry for Defense a vehicle was shown, that actually contradicts
my own definition of a UCUV, but without doubt is described as "Einweg-Drohne" (one-way drone).
The "Seefuchs" (Seafox) UCUV is meant for mine hunting, the vehicle, developed by Dynamite Nobel
Defence, is mainly using off-the-shelf components. It's sensors allow nearly autonomous search for
underwater objects like mines, feed-back to the operator is possible via a fibre optic cable.
Problems mentioned by the staff at the open-day are the inability of the onboard system to distiguish
between a mine and, say, an oil drum on the sea bed ....
Nevertheless, I'm more unsure now about the differences of a UCUV and a guided torpedo now.
We really need a good definition !

 

[Ian33]

BAe Talisman.

 

[Grey Havoc]

http://robohub.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-underwater-drones/

 

[covert_shores]

I remember that UCUV concept from the eighties. Expected to replace combat swimmers for ship attack I think but fuzzy recollections. I'll have to see if I can dig up the info.