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T he U.S. Navy will be depending upon unmanned systems to serve as "force multipli- ers" and "risk-reducers" according to the ser- vice's Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV)

Master Plan. The goal of the master plan is to identify the most promising UUV technology and accelerate the deliv- ery of those capabilities to the fleet.

One objective of the plan is to develop systems with the highest degree of autonomy to allow for long, complex and covert missions. The document establishes the ser- vice's UUV investment priorities.

The UUV Master Plan defines four classes of UUVs, cat- egorized by size and application:

Man Portable Vehicles: Generally less than 100 lbs and are designed to be launched from surface craft, small boats shore. Two people can usually lift one of these UUVs.

These vehicles are used for missions of relative short dura- tion (10 to 20 hours) and are often expendable. They serve in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), mine location and neutralization, explosive ord- nance disposal (EOD) and communications relay mis- sions.

Lightweight Vehicles (LWV): Fit the standard 12.75-in. diameter lightweight torpedo dimensions and can be launched by aircraft and surface combatants. LWV sys- tems can be used for harbor ISR; oceanographic purposes; serve as a node in a communication and/or navigation net- work (CN3) and mine reconnaissance. LWVs usually weigh between 100 and 500 lbs.

The Heavyweight Vehicle Class: Includes systems in the 3,000 lbs category that can be launched from the 21-in. diameter heavyweight torpedo tube found on submarines.

They are employed for ISR, oceanography, clandestine mine countermeasures (MCM) reconnaissance and as sub- marine decoys.

The Large Vehicle Class: Has the greatest payload capa- bility and endurance. Large UUVs can travel covertly 100 miles or more to reach an operating area and then remain

UUVs

Force Multiplier for Navy

By Edward Lundquist

This is the AN/WLD-1 Remote Minehunting System. (U.S. Navy image) 22 MTR July/August 2005

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