If a capability was developed whereby the UUV could return to the boat and rearm along with a targeting system the result would change ASW for good and further enhance the advantages already enjoyed by those underwater predators.
1. Agreed. Due to its long range, Germany’s SATCOM equipped DM2A4 Seehecht (instead of fibre optic command wire) is almost an UUV Instead of a torpedo. The Italian Navy operates
CABI Cattaneo swimmer delivery vehicles or UUVs that docks with their Type 212As — I see big efforts by the Germans and Italians to leap frog other UUV suppliers in this area.
2. In the past, the Germans were less willing to customise than Sweden but the Type 218SG demonstrated German flexibility to bend or meet Singapore requirements; especially since Singapore has Swedish trained submarine crews conversant with their littoral tactics.
3. As I mentioned earlier, Singapore Navy has multiple testbed UUVs in the water, during our naval exercises in the South China Sea and we know that often multiple foreign submarines are tracking our ships and each other during these times — with defence science working hard on
collision avoidance logic for our UUVs.
(a) To differentiate in a crowded market, we have started calling them as AUVs, and the MERCURY AUV is most often used for harbour security.
(b) The presence of submarines with UUVs and AUVs are just risky and that has prompted the creation of provide a dedicated
portal for submarine safety information (SSIP). Colonel David Foo, Commanding Officer of the Submarine Squadron said, “The portal will help submarines navigate amid unmanned underwater vehicles and warship exercises out at sea.”
4. AUV or UUV use, littoral tactics and combat swimmer delivery is not unique to Sweden’s submarines. The Americans and Italians have very advanced UUVs and warm water combat swimmer tactics, along with
specialised tools for swimmer delivery. STIDD Systems opened its Submersible Boat Training and Evaluation Facility in 2003 with Florida being an ideal location for aquatic and professional environment in which to evaluate its swimmer delivery products that are essentially UUVs. Once encrypted UUV and submarine comms is perfected, its use should rise exponentially.
5. Singapore’s Swedish built boats are able to fire Italian made WASS Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes — in DSTA’s mix and match efforts to increase capability in small increments.
6. The article looks like an advert for the A26. Fairly one-sided, with info extracted from my earlier video link to the Swedish presentation.
defpost.com