High Speed Naval Surface Munition

Underwater, high-speed vehicles present several design challenges. Along with the many cavity/hydrodynamic issues are included: propulsion, control, energy density, and navigation. In addition to an underwater high-speed vehicle design, this proposal describes the development of an air phase high-speed munition concept (HSM) that employs a single watery entry event. For relative shallow depth and very high speed, underwater operations have the potential to produce a self-generating cavity. Acoustic and RF communications are difficult if not impossible through the cavity. In order to transmit and receive RF data the proposed concept requires RF communication via an embed antenna on the vehicle during the air flight phase of the con-ops. After the single water entry the HSM relies on its navigation and acoustic sensors. This proposed concept develops an engine design that will propel the vehicle in air for the first phase, and then propel the vehicle in water for the second phase. Control is performed using the movable control surfaces and/or thrust vectoring of the engine. The hull will be shaped for high-speed underwater operation.