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| REMUS 600 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle |
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The US Navy is making slow but steady progress in expanding its undersea warfare capabilities.
The Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS North Dakota (SSN-784) has launched and recovered an underwater drone for the first time, according to AP.
This week, the USS North Dakota returned to the United States after a nearly two-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. The submarine was specifically tasked with testing the launch and recovery of an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) while submerged.
“This was something they thought we could go do. We went out, and we proved that,” the sub’s commanding officer, Captain Douglas Gordon told AP.
Gordon declined to provide additional details on the mission except that the underwater drone was launched from a dry deck shelter – a removable module that can be attached to a submarine – which makes entering and exiting a sub easier when the boat is submerged.
Read the full story at The Diplomat