Page 566 - The ROV Manual - A User Guide for Remotely Operated Vehicles 2nd edition

21.1 Explosive ordnance disposal and mine countermeasures 565
Further, a range of applications outside of MCM may exist, which are limited only by the warfighter’s imagination:
• Torpedo tube swim-out from submarine for rapid ship’s swimmer defense
• Harbor protection from swimmer attack allowing measured response with long loiter time (with
both lethal and nonlethal payload)
• “Shot across bow” ability for a range of threats encountered in law
• Usable from either submersible-powered or surface-powered vehicle
• Tele-operated or fully autonomous modes are programmable, producing a hybrid ROV/UUV
21.1.2 EOD applications
As for EOD applications, the early ROVs didn’t have the capability to counter the turbid, dynamic, near-shore environment that was the diver’s domain. Little has changed in that area to date. Considerable research is being performed in this area, but if you can’t see the target, you can’t destroy it.
However, one area outside of the near-shore environment where EOD divers have a tough job is the inspection of ships’ hulls to counter terrorist threats. Considerable research and demonstrations are being conducted to evaluate the applicability of ROVs (and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)) to inspect ships’ hulls. By using high-resolution sonars to view the hull, advanced naviga- tion techniques for tracking the vehicle’s location while maintaining a constant distance from the hull (from several inches to a few feet), and cameras to verify the target, the burden of the EOD diver is again being reduced through robotic technology. Other areas where the workload of the EOD diver can be considerably reduced through the use of robotic technology will be discussed in the following sections.
21.1.3 MCM today
Advances in the miniaturization and efficiency of sensors necessary for MCMs have brought the use of robotics in this mission to a new level. The MCM mission breaks down simply to “find it” and “kill it.” Or, in official Navy parlance, the two phases are “Search, Classify, Map (SCM)” and “Reacquire, Identify, Neutralize (RIN).”
The reacquire aspect of this new approach is the key to how MCM is being planned for the future. Two systems are anticipated: one to perform the SCM phase and one for the RIN phase. These two systems could actually be the same vehicle but outfitted with a different payload.
The ability to find the mines while the operating platform is at a safe distance is critical. To solve this problem the US Navy is looking at AUVs. With small, capable sonars, excellent navi- gation, and the ability to store large quantities of data on the vehicle, AUVs are looking very prom- ising for mapping of target areas.
The US Navy used AUVs successfully during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Naval Special Clearance Team One used the REMUS AUV (Figure 21.3) to successfully perform MCM. The use of the AUV allowed them to map the area, which not only reduced the time to clear the harbor but also made it a much easier job for the EOD divers.