Advanced Submarine Control

Previous generations of secondary propulsion systems have played an insignificant role within the submarine mission profile. Existing systems are relegated to secondary considerations providing a minimal thrust profile supporting limited requirements such as mooring, adding marginal thrust to the platforms maneuverability profile to support navigation within a restricted waterway and as a last resort acting as a backup emergency propulsion system making minimal headway in the home direction. An integrated precision control system in conjunction with primary and secondary vectored thrust propulsion systems would provide the next generation naval platforms with mission specific capabilities ranging from enhanced littoral and minefield navigation to manual/automated mooring/unmooring capabilities. Individual components required to meet such precise control are under development or already exist but require an integrated approach to system control in order to provide the potential full spectrum of automated ship control. Such a precise control system could provide potentially enormous cost of life ship savings through reduced manning requirements, elimination of secondary support cost such as tug fees accrued during mooring evolutions as well as reduction in maintenance cost associated with existing secondary propulsion mechanical control systems.