TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A MINE AVOIDANCE SUBMARINE-TETHERED REMOTE OPERATING VEHICLE

UNITED STATES SUBMARINES WILL BE FACED WITH SITUATIONS WHERE THEY WILL ENCOUNTER MINEFIELDS IN THEIR OPERATIONS AND AT THE PRESENT TIME THEY MUST AVOID THOSE AREAS. CURRENT MINE LOCATION SONAR SYSTEMS ARE ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF MINE AVOIDANCE, FINDING THE MINE FIELD SO THAT THE SHIP CAN AVOID THE AREA. IN ADDITION, THE CURRENT SYSTEMS CANNOT DETECT MINES THAT ARE CLOSELY TETHERED TO THE BOTTOM OR VERY CLOSE TO THE TOP AT SUFFICIENT DISTANCES TO BE OPERATIONALLY USEFUL. IN FACT, IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETECT THESE MINES FROM THE PLATFORM AT OPERATIONAL RANGES. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES A SUBMARINE-TETHERED REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLE (ROV) THAT WILL OPERATE FORWARD OF A TRANSITING SUBMARINE AND PROVIDE MINE DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION TO THE SUBMARINE SO THAT IT CAN BE MANEUVERED SAFELY THROUGH A MINEFIELD. THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE MINE DETECTION SENSORS ARE DEPLOYED SUFFICIENTLY IN FRONT OF THE SUBMARINE THAT THE REQUIRED OPERATIONAL RANGE CAN BE MET. PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT PROVIDES A CONCEPT DESIGN FOR A SUBMARINE-TETHERED ROV SYSTEM THAT IS OPERATED FROM AND RETURNS TO THE HOST SUBMARINE. THE SYSTEM DESIGN ADDRESSES THE THREAT ENVELOPE OF MODERN MINES, THE HIGH-RESOLUTION SONAR CAPABILITIES FOR MINE DETECTION.CLASSIFICATION, THE REMOTE OPERATING VEHICLE (ROV) THAT CARRIES THE SEARCH SENSORS FORWARD OF THE SUBMARINE, AND THE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR THE ROV.