Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division Launch and Recovery Systems

摘要

Launch and recovery of underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) can be difficult and dangerous. To improve safety and decrease time requirements of the operation, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), industry, and academia alike have designed and built launch and recovery systems (LRSs) to satisfy emergent requirements. These various systems come in many shapes and forms, each with their strengths and weaknesses and with varying requirements. The NSWC PCD LRSs are versatile; they can operate with a variety of systems in different configurations and designs. Commercial Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are often modular to allow the exchange of payloads. An assortment of sensors and other types of payloads may be found on these vehicles and vary from side scan sonar on a Hydroid Inc. Remote Environmental Monitoring Unit System (REMUS) 600 to the 8-ft. wing span on the BOSS system found on a Bluefin vehicle. (Shown below) The NSWC PCD LRSs have also been used with non-AUV / UUV objects that traditionally require crane launch and recovery.