One of the most intriguing developments in naval technology is the submarine-launched drone. These small, unmanned aircraft can also be launched from submarines. They can be used to spy on ships and launch torpedoes.
They can also be more difficult for an enemy to track down and detect because they are less evasive than submerged weapons. They can also fly over certain areas of interest, without requiring a human captain to take a look.
The US Navy began to develop and test unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that can be launched underwater in recent years. These systems are called submarine-launched unmanned aerial systems (SLUAS) and are intended to provide a low-cost way to avoid detection by anti-access/area (A2/AD), warfare.
According to Seapower magazine a US Navy pilot is using the Blackwing 10C UAS purchased from AeroVironment. This UAS is lightweight and small. It has an inertial/GPS automated pilot system, as well as a digital data link that can be used to communicate with the submarine.
Side-scan sonar gives the launching sub more information about the targets. The drones could be outfitted with other weapons like electronic warfare jammers, torpedoes or torpedoes, depending upon the mission.
There are a number of companies developing drones that can be launched from submarines, including Spear and Ninox. Spear recently released a video that shows its Ninox 103 UW being used from an underwater platform. But, it's not clear which types of launchers this can be launched from.
Ninox 103 has a range of 10 kilometers and can last for 40 minutes with a 1 kg dual sensor payload, so it should be able to do the job. According to the company it can be used almost anywhere, and is suitable for a wide range of missions from intelligence gathering to surveillance to target detection.
The drone can be seen floating over water, then coming to rest in a position that allows it to spy on enemies. It looks very much like the Manta UAV China tested earlier in this month.
This idea works for drones which can be launched from sub-sea vessels, but the Navy may be better able to implement an effective solution by using a group of underwater drones. As War Zone has pointed out, drones in swarms can identify and search for targets and objects over large areas.
It would also make it possible for drones to act like a daisy chain relay, increasing line-ofsight connectivity and making coordinated attacks easier.
According to Xinhua, a Chinese drone shaped like a manta ray and capable of swimming through water was tested in the South China Sea. The design was developed at a university near the Chinese military.