Passively Stable Towed-platform Interface for Launch and Recovery of Surface and Undersea Unmanned Vehicles

The Navy has identified the need for the development and demonstration of an interface for the launch and recovery of unmanned surface and undersea vehicles at stern ramps of small-deck ships. The Navy further emphasizes that no safe and accurate method currently exists for the recovery aboard ship of unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned undersea vehicles. To respond to these challenges, International Scientific, through its Ocean Systems Division, proposes the design, development and implementation of a passively stable, towed-platform interface that will fulfill Navy requirements of mechanical simplicity and modularity and will have low acquisition and life-cycle costs. The proposed Phase I Technical Objectives include the selection and hydrodynamic optimization of candidate modular towed platforms, evaluation of computer-aided designs accommodating a wide range of unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned undersea vehicles, and integration of sub-assemblies based on a comprehensive trade-off evaluation. These three objectives will be followed by a Phase I Option Objective involving establishment of an engineering model through a design review incorporating cost/benefit analysis of materials and components. The research team of International Scientific - Ocean Systems Division and Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Ocean Engineering Department has an unique capability to meet the goals of Navy solicitation Topic N04.1-092 by providing in Phase I a design and optimization, and in Phase II the fabrication and performance evaluation of a passively stable, towed-platform interface for launch and recovery of unmanned vehicles from small-deck Navy ships.