Integrating UUVs for naval applications

Abstract

Underwater surveillance technology was an advent of the Cold War. This technology saw numerous advancements only once the technology was declassified and pursued by academia. One such advancement in the maritime domain was the development of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) that has the ability to enhance war-fighting capabilities while de-risking human life. Though this technology has since been commercialised, it has found limited takers in the Navy. The limited inroad it has made has been driven primarily by the developers and the governments that fund them. However, since this technology offers numerous benefits to the military it needs to be integrated into the Navy sooner than later. This essentially means that to achieve greater acceptance for naval use/ applications, integrating this technology into the Navy is essential. This in return requires numerous queries to be answered and facts understood to create greater confidence in the technology and its potential. Accordingly, some of these queries that can help address the knowledge gaps to facilitate future acceptance and induction of the UUV technology into the Navy are discussed. Though an attempt to provide comprehensive answers has been made, these answers are not considered complete but only a start point for a debate. As it stands, the technology exists; however, it is a lack of imagination that is disallowing its usage.