Submersible towed body deployment and recovery device

摘要

A submersible towed body deployment and recovery device is disclosed. The device can include a support structure supportable by a surface watercraft, and configured for rotational and translational movement relative to the watercraft. Additionally, the device can include a towed body interface structure supported by the support structure and configured to interface with and support a wing and a forward end of a towed body. The support structure can be movable between a deploy/recovery position in which at least a portion of the towed body interface structure extends into water about the watercraft and a stowed position in which the towed body interface structure positions the towed body out of the water. Coordinated rotational and translational movement of the support structure can utilize buoyancy of the towed body in the water to minimize loading on the deployment and recovery device when moving between the deploy/recovery position and the stowed position.