The US Navy is implementing several underwater drone projects at once, including the first diesel-electric unmanned submarine

American researchers are currently testing ground subsystems for servicing the underwater vehicle and will soon begin its direct underwater testing. Rob Ibera, chief assistant to the head of the PMS406 unmanned marine systems program, announced this recently in the American Society for Naval Engineering Technology.

The Orca XLUUV, or Ultra Large Unmanned Submersible Vehicle, is a modular long-range underwater drone and the first unmanned diesel-electric submarine. The task of the machine is to set underwater mines, although it can also carry other loads.

In 2017, the U.S. Navy identified the submarine as a solution to joint operational needs. According to a September report by the Government Accountability Office titled "Ultra-Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle" stated:

The Navy must use best management practices to ensure that funds are delivered quickly.

In March 2019, the US Navy awarded a $11,6 million boat contract to Boeing's Defense, Space and Security division for five prototypes.

The first Orca was originally scheduled to be delivered in December 2020, with all five expected by the end of calendar year 2022. Currently, the Navy has postponed the deadlines, and five cars are expected between February and June 2024.

Orca is just one of several unmanned underwater vehicle projects underway by the US Navy.

The Snakehead Service Submersible, the largest underwater-based unmanned vehicle, has requirements for both surface and underwater deployment. According to Rob Ibera, last year the development team completed successful testing of the prototype and made "impressive progress" in the development of new items.

Another representative of this group is Razorback. This medium submarine-launched UAV is part of a contractual collaboration between PMS406 and 408. It is intended for torpedo launches, for example. The Razorback is currently requiring dry deck shelter and a team of divers for recovery and special maintenance.

In addition, Viperfish is also being developed. This medium submersible will use the same technology and capabilities as the Razorback.

The goal of the large unmanned ships program is to implement a comprehensive land and sea based prototyping strategy. According to Ibera, the program is aimed at developing and providing additional capabilities, demonstrating key autonomy factors and improving reliability.

Translated into ordinary language, this could mean working on an entire program to carry out sabotage under water. An example of this kind of sabotage is the explosions on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. And who knows if these explosions were not part of the American tests? ..

Comments

[Asad]

A question from an amateur in this area, but how to control this robot at a distance and the water column? Can a radio signal be intercepted and jammed?

[Blackmokona]

Quote: ASAD

A question from an amateur in this area, but how to control this robot at a distance and the water column? Can a radio signal be intercepted and jammed?

Issue a task, perform it and leave. For example, swim in the x-square and sink enemy ships, when there are fewer torpedoes x, retreat to the base

[Asad]

It's like artificial intelligence.

[Azim77]

It's just a program that is flashed. CNC machines, robots, manipulators, etc. work like that. Something similar to training, but humanity is still far from real artificial intelligence.

And if on the topic, then recently there was an article about the mosquito fleet. There really was a speech about small submarines with containers. Which is most likely unpromising and economically unprofitable. But an unmanned fleet of small drones, on constant duty with embedded variations of algorithms, with a database of images, signatures, etc., can be an effective tool. As an example against such drones. To give only a command to launch, and then the drone itself will act.

[epicurean]

Like everything else via satellite. Managed by dozens of different redundant and secure channels. The water barrier does not interfere with the signal at all.

[KCA]

There’s no way in the thickness, up to 30 meters diving with the help of VLF communication, but it’s also not very convenient, you need an antenna 5 kilometers long, you can intercept it, but you can’t drown it out, you can even transmit an encrypted digital signal at a speed of 128 bits per second , to transfer the coordinates and the command to launch the ICBM is enough

[epicurean]

Well, what can I say - well done Americans. While ours are inventing something that has no analogues in the world, the Americans are really going into the lead. Unmanned submarines that can lay low for about a year, that do not require a crew, food and oxygen - this is really cool.
And for 30 years, ours have not been able to develop a closed (air-independent) cycle engine for diesel submarines, which has long been installed on all modern foreign diesel submarines.

[B-15]

And for 30 years, ours have not been able to develop a closed (air-independent) cycle engine for diesel submarines, which has long been installed on all modern foreign diesel submarines.

First, not for everyone.
Secondly, the customer has requirements that must be met. If it does not correspond to the TOR, then dig further. Or do you want the death of our submariners in a non-standard situation?
As for drones, I will give just one example - Poseidon. Look for the rest in the open press. Than he is head and shoulders cooler than any other underwater drones. And this knowledge is the only one we have. It will take years or even decades for others to reach this level.
As for some of the components of these drones, you are right, we still need to work here.

[Pulkovo1942]

Poseidon. Look for the rest in the open press.

Again stories about Poseidons lying off the American coast and waiting in the wings? Which are in fact a torpedo with a nuclear power plant. The carrier is the nuclear submarine Belgorod.

[B-15]

I talked a little about that.
I meant, for example, navigation.

[Blackmokona]

Quote: B-15

I talked a little about that.
I meant, for example, navigation.

Have the Germans not yet mastered underwater navigation in WWI?

[epicurean]

All modern diesel submarines are now air independent. The fact that they will soon appear with us, I read back in the very beginning of the 90s. And the cart, as they say, is still there.

As for the Russian Poseidons, it is obviously the same typical Russian product for jingoistic patriots like the armata and the terminator. The only difference is that the matter with the Poseidons did not move beyond the chatter with promises. They promise to submit a sample only by 2027