Bet on underwater drones. Underwater drone What is an autonomous underwater drone
Russia has an unmanned submarine capable of carrying the largest submarine in existence. nuclear charges, states the Pentagon report. The existence of a submarine-drone with nuclear weapons has been rumored for a long time, but information leaked to the press from a draft version of the Pentagon's report on the world's nuclear arsenals (Nuclear Posture Review) confirmed this fact. The Pentagon report warns of Russia's determination to continue to expand its nuclear capabilities as the United States reduces it.
The underwater uninhabited vehicle is capable of carrying a charge of up to 100 megatons. According to Newsweek (), this is the most powerful nuclear weapon currently in existence. The draft report, first published by the Huffington Post (), contains graphic images delivery means nuclear weapons, developed in the USA, Russia, North Korea and China since 2010.
The report said that while Russia "initially followed America's lead" and reduced its strategic nuclear forces, while it has retained many of its non-strategic nuclear weapons, which are now being modernized. It is also reported that “in addition to modernizing the heritage nuclear systems era of the USSR, Russia is developing and deploying new nuclear warheads and launchers."
“These efforts include multiple modernization of each element of the Russian nuclear triad: strategic bombers, missiles sea-based and missiles ground-based. Russia is also developing at least two new intercontinental weapons systems: a hypersonic glide aircraft and a new intercontinental nuclear autonomous torpedo,” the document says.
Last month, NATO warned it had "serious concerns" about a new Russian guided missile that allegedly allows Moscow to as soon as possible launch a nuclear strike on Europe. According to NATO officials, its appearance could violate the Nuclear Missile Treaty. medium range 1987. Moscow denied statements by NATO and the United States.
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively foreign media and do not reflect the position of the editorial board of InoSMI.
In October 2017, the first squadron of underwater drones UUVRON 1 (Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1, that is, the 1st squadron of uninhabited underwater vehicles) was formed in the structure of the US Navy.
Since there is an order of magnitude less information, discussion underwater drones remained in the shadows cruise missile, but, nevertheless, the technology in this case may be even higher, and the history of creation is no less rich. What kind of drone were we talking about? There is such a program as ocean multi-purpose system"Status-6" (Kanyon according to NATO classification).
Status-6 is a remote-controlled automatic underwater robot or, if you want, a drone, in a foreign way, carrying nuclear weapon megaton class, possessing computer intelligence and capable of operating independently at a distance of several thousand kilometers from the carrier. Maximum speed The device allows you to escape from any enemy torpedo that exists today, while the drone selects the speed mode and maneuvering trajectory independently. "Status-6" is designed to destroy important enemy military and economic targets in coastal areas and cause guaranteed unacceptable damage to the country's territory by creating zones of extensive radioactive contamination. "Status-6" is capable of destroying naval bases or aircraft carrier strike groups. The development was carried out by JSC "TsKB MT "Rubin" (Russia). Status-6 refers to deep-sea uninhabited underwater vehicles (UUVs), which can dive to a depth of 1000 meters and is essentially a high-speed torpedo with nuclear reactor and a nuclear warhead.
Russia has developed and is preparing for production the first autonomous underwater vehicle, Concept-M, capable of diving to depths of up to a thousand meters. The Galtel robotic complex has undergone trial operation in the area of the port of Tartus in Syria. The reviews are the most positive: according to the Ministry of Defense, he combat mission completed. In Tartus, the Galtel robot was entrusted with the task of guarding ships located in the port area. He examined the bottom of the bay and the bottoms of ships and service vessels in order to find mines that saboteurs could have installed, as well as unexploded shells. Before immersing the robot, a program was installed in it, which it worked out under water. Dive depth - 400 meters. This means that the drone is capable of being used by submarines on the high seas, for which this is the operating depth. Power reserve - 100 km. In 12 hours of continuous operation it is capable of examining 4 sq. km. bottom. The complex includes two autonomous drones. This allows, using them alternately, to conduct a continuous survey of the bottom. Underwater, the robot navigates using sonar. It issues a message about obstacles, and the Galtel, changing course, bypasses them, and then again reaches set course. Another underwater vehicle, which has approximately the same purpose as the Galtel, is undergoing trial operation. This is an underwater submarine developed at the Rubin Central Design Bureau. autonomous drone"Harpsichord". It has some differences in terms of handling. In an underwater position, the Harpsichord is capable of receiving commands for correcting the program being executed via a hydroacoustic channel. This drone is more thorough in terms of power characteristics. His maximum depth diving - 6000 meters, and range - 300 km. Underwater speed - 3 knots. The length of the apparatus is 5.8 m, the diameter is 0.9 m. Weight is 2500 kg. “Harpsichord” solves a wider range of problems, which is due to the presence, in addition to sonar and photo/video equipment, of a magnetometer, and temperature and electrical conductivity sensors. The Harpsichord is used not only for inspecting the waters of naval bases, but also for reconnaissance operations and research activities. “Harpsichord” was used to search for the Tu-134M airliner that crashed on November 6, 2009. In just a few days, the drone scanned and photographed about 1 million square meters. the bottom of the Tatar Gulf on Far East. This made it possible to find all the fragments of the Tu-143M and the black boxes. At the moment, Central Design Bureau "Rubin" is completing the creation of a modified version of the "Harpsichord" - "Harpsichord-2R-PM" - with improved characteristics. Another class of underwater robots includes the “Surrogat” drone being created at the Rubin Central Design Bureau. It has respectable dimensions compared to the “Harpsichord” and “Galtel”: length - 17 meters, displacement - 40 tons. Capable of reaching a speed of 24 knots. Cruising range - 600 miles, working depth - 600 meters. “Surrogate” is intended to be used as a conditional target during maneuvers and exercises of the Navy.
What about drones in NATO and the USA: shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls and aerospace giant Boeing have announced they are teaming up to create the Echo Voyager underwater drone. The goal is to arrange supplies of underwater unmanned systems as quickly as possible naval forces USA. Work on the fifty-ton Echo Voyager has been underway since 2014 in collaboration with DARPA. Echo Voyager is the largest underwater drone in development so far, which belongs to the XLUUV (extra large unmanned undersea vehicle) class. Rear Admiral Mathias Winter said: "The Office of Naval Research (ONR), which is developing advanced unmanned underwater vehicle technologies, plans to deploy an 'Eisenhower Backbone' on seabed in all areas of the world's oceans... We want drones to go out to sea on a mission once and then operate in the depths of the seas for decades.” It's about on the creation of underwater bases or technical stations where underwater drones could independently charge or undergo maintenance, transmit and store collected information.
At the beginning of October 2017, the Pentagon, under the terms of a competition, ordered Boeing and Lockheed Martin to design the first prototypes of Orca (Orca) devices. The contract amounts were $43.2 and $42.3 million, respectively. The length of the underwater drone will reach forty meters; the US Navy intends to receive nine such devices in total. Among the main requirements for new system- increased autonomy and ability to act independently without constant communication with the control center. Judging by the available information, the Killer Whale's range of action can reach 12 thousand kilometers, and its navigation autonomy can be several months. For these purposes, Boeing proposes to use power plant The device has a diesel-electric circuit: the electric motor and equipment of the boat will be powered by electricity from batteries, which will be periodically recharged by a diesel generator. That is, in fact, the cruising range of the device will be limited only by the reserve diesel fuel on board. US Navy XLUUV is also considered as a means of combating submarines and nuclear strikes against ground targets. Development of the Killer Whale intensified after the Pentagon first learned of Russia's plans to create an uninhabited underwater vehicle, Status-6, and work on projects for the ultra-large underwater drone Orca and its onboard Hunter drone it's already underway"Stakhanov" pace.
The United States has also begun testing the Sea Hunter surface drone; it is equipped with a diesel engine and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 27 knots, which is approximately 50 km/h. At 12 speed maritime knots the ship can travel about 10 thousand. nautical miles(18.5 thousand km) and be in autonomous navigation until three months. The military considers one of the key advantages of the “Hunter” to be low cost of operation - servicing a marine drone will cost $15-20 thousand per day, while operating a conventional one squadron destroyer about $700 thousand is required daily. Navigation of the Sea Hunter is provided by equipment for receiving GPS satellite signals and radar stations, as well as an optical-electronic system. In addition, the vessel is equipped with a station electronic warfare(EW), a computer analysis system for identified targets and a powerful communication system for transmitting collected data to the center. It is clarified that the characteristics of the hydroacoustic system on board will make it possible to search not only for submarines, but also for other objects, such as sea mines.
Today, drones that fly into the air and take aerial photographs have become commonplace, but until recently, such remote-controlled devices practically did not look under water. But with the advent of a new gadget, the situation will change - now you can see what is happening in the underwater world.
A group of American inventors presented a project for a budget drone for underwater video recording. The result of two years of work was named Seawolf. Compared to most of its predecessors, the device is characterized by low price, ease of maintenance and management. The undoubted advantage of the gadget is the ability to use it with a GoPro action camera.
A GoPro camera is installed behind a transparent acrylic shield in the nose of the underwater drone. The mounting turret allows you to rotate the camera up to 90 degrees. The drone itself can dive to a depth of 10 meters. The actual immersion is 30 meters, but in this case, communication with the device may be lost.
Underwater, the drone moves at a speed of about 1.6 knots, which is comparable to a speed of 3.3 km/h. The device is powered by a 5000 mAh lithium-ion battery, which provides up to 50 minutes of battery life. The robot is equipped with several lights to illuminate the underwater space.
The underwater drone is controlled using a remote control with an LCD display. It is also possible to connect the underwater device to a cable that will follow it underwater. This allows you to significantly extend its service life, as well as increase the level of security in the event of loss of control or communication. Seawolf costs $1,000.
IN Lately I am using unmanned drones more and more often and in various fields. You can find out how in one of our previous reviews.
What domestic developments are there in the military and civilian spheres of this class of drones? What are the practical benefits and commercial benefits of these devices? Which companies are developing these complexes? You will learn all the information by reading the article from the specialists of the company “ARMAIR DRONE CENTER. ”
What underwater drones are already being produced in the civilian sector of the economy?
All underwater unmanned vehicles can be divided into light, medium and heavy. The light class includes a “Trident” type device. This drone operates at shallow depths, communication with the control panel is via a wire, and can remain underwater for no more than 25 minutes. It has one camera and is capable of moving forward, backward, and in an arc. The middle class of underwater drones includes a device like DEEPFAR, developed by the Chinese company Deepfar Ocean Technology Co., Ltd. The device can dive to a depth of 100 meters and operate autonomously for 2-3 hours. Equipped with a 3D camera, sonar and GPS navigation. Connecting the device to a wired control station. Heavy vehicles for the civilian sphere are still in development, but the military is already mastering this area with might and main.What are the developments of underwater UAVs in the military sphere?
Advanced developments are carried out in the USA, by the DARPA agency, Lockheed Martin Corporation. The following types of underwater autonomous vehicles are being developed:- To hunt enemy ships.
- For detection and neutralization of sea mines.
- For reconnaissance and guidance of missiles and aircraft to underwater and surface targets.
According to latest Review nuclear potential(Nuclear Posture Review), Russia is developing a new nuclear torpedo/drone dubbed "Status-6". Although the torpedo has some alarming capabilities (I already wrote about this in my article), this is not the first such weapon that the Russians are working on. More importantly, Status-6 appears to have fatal flaws that limit its practical effectiveness in combat scenarios.
Background
Nuclear torpedoes have been actively developed over the years cold war. The earliest development is the Project 627 November nuclear attack submarines, which were considered to carry the T-15 nuclear torpedo, designed to attack NATO port facilities. These torpedoes provided the Soviet Union with the ability to limit NATO's naval dominance and were also seen as an alternative means of attacking the United States.
However, the range of the T-15 torpedo was only about 40 kilometers (25 mi), and its speed did not exceed 25 knots, and therefore it was difficult to imagine a situation in which a submarine could successfully carry out this type of attack. The project was closed, and the Novembers themselves were rebuilt and became normal nuclear attack submarines. Later the United States and Soviet Union nuclear torpedoes optimized for tactical missions will be adopted.
Possibilities
Judging by the currently available information, it can be assumed that “Status-6”, after separation from the carrier submarine, begins to move towards the intended target under its own power and under its own control. The speed of the underwater drone reaches 56 knots, it is capable of diving to depths of up to 1,000 meters, and its range of action is 10 thousand kilometers (6,200 miles). The speed and depth of its dive pose a challenge to existing capabilities navy, since in terms of depth and speed it surpasses most existing torpedoes.
If this unmanned underwater vehicle is ever put into service, the United States will likely respond with its own underwater drone. Given its range, this drone could be launched from shore installations, although its launch data may indicate that fighting will soon begin, whereas in a critical situation they will serve as a casus belli, that is, a reason for war.
Context
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Sina.com 05.12.2017It is not yet clear what kind of communication the Russians will be able to maintain with the underwater drone once it is launched, although its characteristics suggest that it will be controlled by surface ships. This is by no means a trivial question. When launched from maximum distance, the Status-6 drone is expected to take up to four days to reach its intended target. This is extremely dangerous in a crisis, since the political dynamics at the time of launch may differ from what will happen at the time of striking the target. Moreover, the prospect of having a weapon that moves independently to its target within four days is alarming, to say the least.
Status-6 could likely be used as a strategic deterrent, designed to provide another capability for a strike against the United States that could not be prevented by countermeasures. ballistic missiles. Despite its extensive nuclear arsenal Russia has long expressed security concerns about its second-strike capabilities, given the possibility of a combined strike from the United States and improved missile defense systems. But, as Brian Clark notes (quoted in his article by Dave Majumdar), Status-6 cannot be called a practical means of deterrence.
For first strike weapons, the drone's usefulness will depend on extreme secrecy and high reliability; if the Americans are able to detect its launch, or for some reason it is late in reaching the target, then the element of surprise will be lost. As a means of deterring the final blow, this underwater drone may have the double disadvantage of approaching the target after the main events of the conflict, and, in addition, it may not have a “switch-off” system that the Russian political leadership could use as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
It can be assumed that Status-6 is also capable of attacking a concentration of warships, including American carrier strike groups. However, this will require a more advanced command and control system, or it will be necessary to make the device autonomous enough to make decisions regarding the choice of target and the time of detonation.
conclusions
As some analysts have noted, the idea of using a long-range, nuclear-armed underwater drone is alarming, but it does not seem entirely realistic. It is uncertain and difficult to imagine the conditions under which the Russian political leadership will decide to use weapons that can hit the intended target only a few days later.
In fact, such an underwater drone could serve more as a test model for the development of other technologies. It may also be used by some design bureaus to maintain its funding, but it can hardly be called a ready-to-use combat complex.
However, one of the lessons is that against a determined enemy, a missile defense system will never work, and in most cases it will be very expensive. Powerful nations like China or Russia at least have the means to develop weapons that can destroy missile defense or overcome it, destroying in the process the security umbrella to which the United States has accustomed itself. Status-6 may not be exactly such a weapon, but it is clear that Russia is exploring any means that might work.
The second lesson is that the old ideas seem to be truly dead now. Nuclear torpedo, almost literally, was the first idea that the Soviet Union came up with, hoping (at the time) to overcome the significant superiority that the United States possessed in the field of delivery vehicles. After 60 years, it appears someone has revived the idea for a new Cold War cycle.
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.