Integrating UUVs for naval applications

Abstract

Underwater surveillance technology saw its advent in the Cold War. This technology saw numerous advancements only once it was declassified and pursued by the academia. One such advancement in the maritime domain was the development of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), which have the ability to enhance war-fighting capabilities while reducing the risk to human life. Though this technology has since been commercialized, it has found limited uptake by 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 to be 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 UUV technology into the navy, are discussed. Though an attempt to provide comprehensive answers is made, these answers are not considered complete, but only a starting point for a debate. As it stands, the technology exists; however, it is a lack of imagination that is disallowing its usage.