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.
General Dynamics demonstrates latest Bluefin-21 autonomous recon vehicles
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