Leveraging Offshore Oil & Gas Technology for Handling and Refuelling Unmanned Vehicles from Surface Combatants

摘要

Future Navy and Coast Guard vessels will use unmanned vehicles (UxVs) to carry out a variety of missions. Many next generation combatant and ocean going patrol vessels will be equipped with a stern or midship mission bay from which these vehicles will be stowed, deployed and recovered. One of the technology gaps is the ability to launch, recover and stow these vehicles in up to sea state 4-5 conditions. These requirements are somewhat similar to the requirements for the offshore oil and gas industry. Technologies developed for these offshore industries can be adapted for use on new surface combatants.