November 28, 2018

Japanese LDUUV Developments 2 & Korean Drone Swarms.

After searching the international Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) website I located a civilian research (eg. JAMSTEC) (and perhaps dual-use naval) URASHIMA LDUUV (here) being developed by MHI (Photo above courtesy Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd). 


Significantly URASHIMA is 10.7m long (meeting the 10m length requirement that the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) set for large diameter unmanned undersea vehicle (LDUUV) development). Other specifications for URASHIMA are: 7.5 tonnes weight (surfaced), 3,500m max operating depth, 300km range, and 3 to 4 knots speed. Its likely diameter and known 10.7m length would make it too large for Japanese 533mm torpedo tubes. Hence attachment on top of a submarine hull or slide or crane delivery from a ship (as in photo above) may be necessary.
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Following Japanese Large Diameter Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) Developments, of November 27, 2018, Anonymous has commented, with further translation and [...] comments from Pete :

UUV technologies developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) consist of:

i)               i) low frequency acoustic sensors for the detection of buried mines on the ocean floor,
ii)             ii) underwater navigation using autonomous positioning by matching ocean floor topography,
iii)           iii) low speed, long endurance movement using lithium-ion batteries (LIBs),
iv)            iv) underwater modeling and simulation by using sonars, and
v)             v) an integrated launching tube.

Further development of UUV propulsion is required [eg. using LIBs and/or hydrogen-oxygen or other fuel cells] as well as development of communication methods and networks.

Tactical UUVs [perhaps torpedo tube launched] can be (or need to be) operated at relatively short distances and for short time periods remotely by an the operator [perhaps seated in a submarine].

In contrast [usually larger] strategic UUVs can autonomously operate for a longer period.

The Japanese MoD has successfully demonstrated fuel cells and underwater optical Wi-Fi (for communication at ranges up to 120m) for LDUUVs. [Sonobuoys, seabed line arrays and submarine-to-LDUUV wires may also be useful for LDUUV communications.]

See https://www.mhi.co.jp/technology/review/pdf/484/484012.pdf (it is in Japanese and there are useful pictures of:
-  MHI’s probably torpedo sized UUV on page 12.
-  the UUV network including parent or networked ships, subs, helicopters, patrol aircraft and sonobuoys on page 13.
-  another photo and diagrams and graphs, pages 13 to 16.

There were also comments from /Kjell pointing to a Swedish language document on Russian UUV developments. To which I responded “The Russians are also making great progress in the commercial (oil) and naval use of AUVs, specially in the Arctic Ocean and perhaps in the Sea of Japan.”

Drone Swarms

KQN also commented “There is no doubt that AI will have a key role in autonomous UUV and UUV swarms.” to which I responded “Indeed Artificial Intelligence (AI) (old similar concept "Autonomous") will indeed have roles in UUVs and UUV swarms. China in particular may mass produce small UUVs to form swarms, especially for deployment in highly strategic areas like the South China and East China Seas and Sea of Japan.”


The 2018 South Korean Winter Olympics illustrated what 2 operaters, who are computer controlling drone swarms, can do. Those "Olympic" drones are of course small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. But from 40 seconds into the Youtube (through to 3 minutes) similar hardware and software capabilities also apply to UUVs finding and maybe attacking submarines and friendly UUVs.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

URASHIMA (http://www.asimo.pl/materialy/download/urashima.pdf)is still used by JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. URASIMA is currently driven by lithium ion batteries not by fuel cell. Both MHI and JAMSTEC will be presumably involved in LDUUV delopment plan by MoD.

Regards

Anonymous said...

Shall we see the long arm of China's SOSUS network ringing around the Philippines?
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/171759/china-eyes-manila-trench-as-possible-site-for-its-underwater-base#ixzz5Y96KwEQJ
KQN

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous [at 28/11/18 8:33 PM]

Thanks for English language http://www.asimo.pl/materialy/download/urashima.pdf (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Technical Review Vol. 41 No. 6 (Dec. 2004)) on URASHIMA especiallly fuel cell details.

Useful diagram page 2

Diagram and description of oxygen-hydrogen fuels cells page 3
- like German AIP "hydrogen gas is stored by a storage method using metal hydride"

As UUVs are unmanned the risk of having pure oxygen-hydrogen aboard are slightly less. Although any mother-submarine or ship my not want a UUV fire-explosion.

So Anonymous, where you say now "driven by lithium ion batteries not by fuel cell." sounds safer.

Japan's money saving Dual-use approach sounds reasonable where you say "Both MHI and JAMSTEC will be presumably involved in LDUUV delopment plan by MoD."

Regards

Pete

Pete said...

Hi KQN

As the Chinese like large building projects for South China Sea islands a Chinese "SOSUS network ringing around the Philippines?" may be true to form

China, over the years, may also deploy SOSUS line arrays especially on the openings-chokepoints of the South China and East China Seas. Also SOSUS along China coast, especially harbours and naval bases.

Particular targets of interest may be US, Japanese, South AND North Korean submarines - mainly for monitoring in peace time. UUVs from those countries may run the risk of actual destruction in peacetime, because lives are not at risk.

Regards

Pete