Raytheon Submarine Launched UAV

The race to design and develop effective submarine-launched aircrafts has ended in a total victory for the American army and her allies with the design of the Submarine Launched UAV by Raytheon. This robot aircraft was designed without affecting the initial structure of the submarine. The UAV can be deployed at great depth without affecting the submarine performance. This new device is dubbed SOTHOC. (Submarine Over The Horizon Organic Capabilities). This extremely effective system was designed in order to provide the crew with increased maneuverability and combat effectiveness. This launch system deploys the sealed unit that contains the UAV from the submarine's waste disposal lock. Once it has reached a preset depth, it will dump the weight in order to become positively buoyant. Afterwards, it will ascend right to the surface in order to be deployed on the battlefield.

Once the device is stable at the surface, it will align into the wind in order to launch the one-shot and disposable UAV. The Submarine Launched UAV is extremely effective because the launch system was designed in order to perform its mission without modifying the initial structure of the submarine as it makes use of the waste disposal system.

Submarine Launched UAV

The sensor range of the submarine was increased in order for the littoral operations to be performed in a successful way. Raytheon developed the system by using the common Submarine Launch Vehicle (SLV).The UAV is stored onboard and it will be launched using the current waste disposal unit of the submarine. The SLV falls to a distance so that it can be deployed with out causing risk and safety issues to the submarine that launched it. Afterwards, the weight will be shed in order to inflate the float collar, which will be pulsed in order to control the necessary rate of the ascent. The Submarine Launched UAV is a highly effective method of maneuvering and getting the UAV to the surface dry. The device will be transitioned in the air in order to perform its mission.

The Submarine Launched UAV is provided with the necessary buoy in order to employ theIridium satellite link for the bi-directional worldwide communication over this highly effective Iridium satellite system. The system can be used from a surface ship or can be deployed from the submarine itself or from an airplane in order to increase the efficiency when in combat. This buoy was deployed from the submarine by using the existing launch vehicle.

The launch can be pre-programmed by the crew prior to the launch. The programming can also include the necessary message that should be sent back as soon as the UAV is deployed. Once the SLV manages to reach its pre-programmed depth, its float mechanism will be deployed and the buoy will separate from the SLV and begin to ascend to the water surface.

Common US submarines have a limited vision due to them not having the necessary periscope height. Therefore, the horizon capabilities must be increased and the Submarine Launched UAV can be used in order to dramatically extend the submarine’s visual range. The surface contacts and their visibility will be improved because the small aircraft was designed in order to provide the submarine’s capability with extra features. For instance, the aircraft is fully equipped with a wide range of sensors and other communication.

The UAV is launched from the host submarine. This host submarine will be able to control and direct the small aircraft from underwater without changing its position or structure. The aircraft will be allowed to fly autonomously because it can only receive communication updates and sensors from the free-roaming and aerial sensor that belongs to the same system.

Raytheon UAV

The Raytheon UAV was designed to become a very disposable asset when it comes to its efficiency, maneuverability and price. Raytheon has stated that the necessary aircraft's ground control system is compatible with the Swift Engineering blended wing Killer Bee design.

Submarine missions have changed in nature, and the new systems show how the Raytheon and US military are aware of this. Great emphasis is placed on trying to design and integrate new devices to improve the maneuverability and efficiency of the old submarines. This new Submarine Launched UAV is genuine proof that the traditional submarine needed an upgrade to increase its performance. The subsurface fleets needed this system in order to deal with new joint operations that are too demanding. This newly developed system can be used in order to communicate while operating at a wide range of tactical speeds and depths. It also enables every submarine commander to try and share the situational awareness and plan it collaboratively. The submarine commander will be enabled to fight synergistically using other systems and forces because the new UAV system has increased operational capabilities, especially enhancing various covert mission performances due to success in maintaining the real-time communications, engagement in combat and stealth.

Currently the US and UK armies use the Submarine Launched UAV and the company plans to provide the current system with new upgrades in the future to increase the battlefield deployment of the submarines that use this system.