General Dynamics demonstrates latest Bluefin-21 autonomous recon vehicles

General Dynamics successfully demonstrated the capabilities of its Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), which launched multiple Bluefin SandShark micro-autonomous underwater vehicles (M-AUV), during the 2016 Annual Naval Technology Exercises (ANTX) recently in Newport, Rhode Island.
The demonstrations served as an example of cross-vehicle coordination, with the Bluefin-21 simulating data collection and launching several Bluefin SandSharks. In one exercise, the data was relayed to the SandSharks, which independently surfaced to relay the information to a Blackwing unmanned aerial vehicle that reported to a submarine combat control system, allowing for subsequent command of the Bluefin SandSharks.
"Our successful ANTX demonstrations showed that unmanned vehicles can deliver capabilities across the undersea and air operating domains,” Tracy Howard, a senior manager for Autonomous Undersea Vehicles for General Dynamics Mission Systems, said. “This system-of-systems approach leverages Bluefin-21's larger payload delivery, longer endurance and superior navigation capabilities to deliver smaller payloads, such as autonomous underwater vehicles or unmanned aerial vehicles and sensors, providing the Navy with additional mission capabilities."
The Bluefin-21 is the base vehicle of the Navy’s Knifefish program and has the ability to carry and launch a range of vehicles, from the M-AUVs, which weigh approximately 15 pounds each, to larger AUVs and unmanned aerial vehicles.