How will things change when submarines become underwater carriers?

After identifying the threat, underwater unmanned scuba diving equipment (UUV) can locate them with active sound waves (helping nuclear submarines to target and destroy torpedoes), transmitting information via indirect sound waves to the mother ship, or a suicide attack can be performed . With these capabilities, UUVs can be upgraded to become military vessels to control hazards in its area.

Imagine in the future, nuclear submarines (SSNs) can deploy underwater unmanned devices (UUV) to chase and destroy enemy submarines.

At least the US Navy has begun to make this happen.

So how will it affect? On the one hand, UUV can completely change the way the submarine hunters (ASW) operate , making their way of operation now outdated and obsolete. On the other hand, the development of UUV can strengthen the existing military system; Different from what we often think, newly formed units are a collection of the best people in adapting to breakthroughs in military technology. The future of the US Navy depends on the realization of this idea.

In a sense, the submarine launched unmanned diving equipment that had ever appeared; even during World War II, naval forces used tail devices or used sound to find targets. The wire-guided torpedo was born in the 1960s, allowing submarines to control the way their weapons approached their targets. These torpedoes are a form of unmanned drones, similar to cruise missiles; These weapons are launched and charged towards the target by an automatic or man-controlled system.

Both the United States and other great powers are eager to see the potential of UUV applications. UUV can hunt down and destroy targets for ASW submarines, although so far there are no operational plans to use them. These aircraft have many opportunities to detect and destroy submarines using diesel electric motors, including those using independent propulsion technology (AIP). These ships can operate "more closedly" and can dive for longer periods of time than manned submarines. Instead of searching for enemy ships, they simply wait for an opportunity to arrive.

The US Navy hopes it can use small UUVs that can be launched from submarine torpedo tubes.(Illustration).

China recently tested a "glider" device that can maintain at a certain depth without thrust. The United States has also used this device for many years and although they now lack practical applications in war conditions, they can still be applied to marine environmental monitoring and evaluation. China is also developing UUV to integrate into the submarine sensor system, creating a "Great Wall in the Ocean" with the ability to detect and prevent American submarines. Meanwhile, the US has also successfully developed ships with the ability to automatically search and destroy enemy submarines, which have joined the US Navy staff in January this year.

Mother ship

The latest idea is to combine torpedoes and unmanned diving equipment. The US Navy hopes to be able to use small UUVs that can be launched from submarine torpedo tubes, creating the prospect of an underwater space with satellites, radars and UAVs that can be created and areas private space. Using both active and passive sound waves, UUV can be deployed from SSN nuclear submarines to spy on the area, detect hazards and notify the mother ship. After identifying the threat, underwater unmanned scuba diving equipment (UUV) can locate them with active sound waves (helping nuclear submarines to target and destroy torpedoes), transmitting information via passive sound waves to the mother ship, or can perform a suicide attack. With these capabilities, UUVs can be upgraded to become military vessels to control hazards in its area.

Challenge

The success of a UUV battle must, to a certain extent, depend on the development of information and communication technology to help people stay in touch with unmanned devices, and to have these devices available. can convey accurate images of the space around them. The nature of water makes us more limited in visibility than air, but the Agency directs advanced Defense Research Projects - DARPA (and possibly with Chinese and Russian partners) already began to increase the ability to connect and transmit information underwater. However, the information transmitted between ships can reveal the position of the mother ship. Even devices that use active sound waves can accidentally expose the position of the mother ship so that it can be attacked.

The idea of ​​using UUVs for suicide is also problematic. Although the Navy seems satisfied with the launch of torpedoes that can automatically lock the target at close range, with advanced unmanned devices operating at a longer distance than the mother ship requires the introduction of More complex parameters. This is similar to military equipment on land as well as overhead; Keeping the connection even more difficult in the water environment.

Conclude

With advances in artificial intelligence and communications, the prospect of submarines releasing torpedoes that can lie dormant for its victims for days (or even more) is not impossible. Of course, this requires accepting some risks; Even in the best conditions, there is still a loss of control over unmanned devices. However, this is also a way for nuclear submarines to compete with compact AIP vessels that are being used by other countries around the world.