Abstract: A substantially hollow wingsail is configured to enable electrical components to be situated within the wingsail. In particular, the wingsail may be configured to contain the solar panels used to power the other electrical components of the vessel, as well as other items that are conventionally situated on the exterior of the vessel, such as antennas, navigation lights, and so on. The interior of the wingsail may also include a deployment device for deploying components stored in the wingsail into the sea or the atmosphere. The surface of the wingsail may include transparent or translucent areas to provide light to the solar panels, as well as optical and electromagnetic reflective areas within the wingsail to enhance the performance of the solar panels and antennas. The wingsail may also include an internal light that illuminates the translucent areas of the wingsail for enhanced visibility to other vessels.

Abstract: A guidance system configured for providing control information to a guided object moving the guided object from an initial state to a target final state within a finite time interval. A controller receives information of the desired state and information representative of the guided object's current state including position and velocity. The controller includes a processor configured to calculate a control solution based on four variables relating to the present state, and the target state, wherein the processor is configured to apply coefficient weights to each of the four state variables and wherein a common coefficient weight is applied to the current state of position and the target state of position, and different coefficient weights are applied to each of the current state and target state of velocity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a launch apparatus for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle—in particular, for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle or for a Remotely Operated Vehicle—with a launching tube having an inner wall and an outlet, and the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle contained within the launching tube, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a vehicle casing with a vehicle casing inhomogeneity, such that an ejection of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle causes different contact loads between the vehicle casing and the inner wall, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a detachable compensating form, which is designed in such a way that the vehicle inhomogeneity is compensated, such that the result is a combination of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle and the detachable compensating form, the combination whereof, when ejected, causes a substantially more uniform contact load to occur between the combination and the inner wall.

Abstract: A fuze for detecting an obstacle in proximity, an obstacle in proximity defined as being an obstacle exhibiting a minimum distance from the fuze, wherein the fuze comprises at least: an emission device emitting a light beam directed forward of the fuze; a reception device detecting the luminous fluxes in a cone directed forward of the fuze, the light beam and the cone having relative orientations such that they cross one another; a detection volume being the volume where the light beam crosses the cone so that when an obstacle is in the detection volume, the light emitted by the emission device is backscattered toward the detection device, an obstacle in proximity being detected by detecting the maximum of backscattered power, the reception cone is centered on the axis of the fuze.

Abstract: A system and method for operating, at a near location, a safety-critical device located at a far location. The system includes a first operating input device to be operated at the near location, providing a first barrier control signal; and a second operating input device to be operated at the near location, providing a second barrier control signal. The first barrier control signal is communicatively connected to a near end of a first secure communication tunnel through the non-secure communication network, and the second barrier control signal is communicatively connected to a near end of a second secure communication tunnel through the non-secure communication network. A far end of the first secure communication tunnel is communicatively connected to an activating input of a first barrier circuit, and a far end of the second secure communication tunnel is communicatively connected to an activating input of a second barrier circuit.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for intercepting a moving target by a plurality of interceptors that individually have insufficient capability to achieve intercept. An electronic processor can receive information corresponding to a state of the moving target at a first time. The electronic processor can determine a plurality of hypotheses for the future maneuvers of the moving target. The hypotheses can be based in part on the state of the moving target at the first time and the location of any defended assets. The electronic processor can assign a respective target maneuver hypothesis or set of hypotheses to each of a plurality of interceptors. The electronic processor can assign firing times and/or initial guidance commands to each interceptor. The electronic processor can control each interceptor to maneuver such that the moving target is intercepted, based on the respective target maneuver hypotheses.

Abstract: An example valve includes a sleeve having a plurality of openings configured along a length of the sleeve. A spool is rotatable within the sleeve and includes a respective plurality of openings along a length of the spool corresponding to the plurality of openings of the sleeve. A rotary actuator coupled to the spool is configured for rotating the spool within the sleeve. The rotary actuator can rotate the spool to a given rotary position in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction to cause at least a partial alignment between a subset of the respective plurality of openings of the spool and a subset of the plurality of openings of the sleeve.

Abstract: It is aimed to enable the use of existing components even if the size of an exterior material is changed. A wire protecting member disclosed by this specification is a wire protecting member for accommodating and protecting wires to be routed in a vehicle inside and includes a corrugated tube having wires inserted therein, a clamp including an inserting portion having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter in the case of inserting the corrugated tube therethrough without any clearance and configured to fix the corrugated tube to a vehicle, and an auxiliary clamp interposed between the corrugated tube and the inserting portion and configured to fix the corrugated tube to the inserting portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a communication network for aquatic vessels. The network comprises an unmanned aquatic vehicle (UAQV) having a warhead. A fiber optic cable is bi-directional and in a closed ring configuration enabling communication within the network and to the UAQV. A power grid cable is in a closed ring configuration and coupled to a generator providing power. A node is coupled to the fiber optic cable and to the power grid cable. A relay station is coupled to the node and in communication with the UAQV. A control center is in communication with the UAQV and facilitates remote control of the UAQV, and programming of a navigational plan for the remote control of the UAQV prior to launch. The fiber optic cable, power grid cable, node and relay station are capable of being located underwater during operation. The UAQV is capable of being launched underwater from open water.

Abstract: The invention concerns a group of vessels (24), having an unmanned surface vessel (3) and an unmanned underwater vessel (1, 1a), wherein the underwater vessel comprises a location device, in particular a sonar device, for sensing location data (12) in the underwater area and one evaluation unit or more evaluation units, and the evaluation unit or the evaluation units are arranged in such a manner that these comprise detection means (20) for detecting (14) a contact (MILEC) with the aid of the sensed location data (12) and with classification means (21) for classifying (15) the detected contact (MILEC) as a mine-like contact (MILCO) or non mine-like contact (NONMILCO), whereby classification is accomplished by comparing the contact (MILEC) with known mine information so that a mine-like contact (MILCO) can be identified as a mine contact (MINE) or as another object (NOMBO).

Abstract: Disclosed is a communication network for aquatic vessels. The network comprises an unmanned aquatic vehicle (UAQV) having a warhead. A fiber optic cable is bi-directional and in a closed ring configuration enabling communication within the network and to the UAQV. A power grid cable is in a closed ring configuration and coupled to a generator providing power. A node is coupled to the fiber optic cable and to the power grid cable. A relay station is coupled to the node and in communication with the UAQV. A control center is in communication with the UAQV and facilitates remote control of the UAQV, and programming of a navigational plan for the remote control of the UAQV prior to launch. The fiber optic cable, power grid cable, node and relay station are capable of being located underwater during operation. The UAQV is capable of being launched underwater from open water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer system for providing wireless data transfer, electrical power transfer and navigation between a mobile subsea vehicle and a deployed subsea station that uses acoustic and electromagnetic carrier signals for wireless communication and navigation. An inductive connector is provided for power transfer between mobile subsea vehicle and a deployed subsea station without conductive contact.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for launching and recovering an unmanned, water-born vehicle (UWBV) from a mother ship. The UWBV mimics the behavior of dolphins and is positioned ahead of the ship in preparation for bow riding. The UWBV uses a guidance system to position and keep in the bow wave. A high-frequency (HF) sonar transceiver array aboard the ship computes and sends course corrections to maintain the UWBV within the bow wave. The frequency range of the HF array can be 100 kHz or higher due to the short distance between the ship and the UWBV. Accordingly, the HF array can have a small aperture allowing for accurate bearing resolution. Course corrections can be sent on a near-continuous basis such that changes in thrust and rudder angle can be minimized to allow for accurate control of the UWBV.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing the angle of attack of a cavitator on a supercavitating underwater research model. The apparatus has a nose assembly that has a pivotable cavitator tilt plate, an actuator member and a drive system engaged with the actuator member to drive the actuator member so as to tilt the cavitator tilt plate to a desired angle. Power components are remotely located and accessible to an operator so as to enable an operator to vary the angle of the cavitator tilt plate while the supercavitating underwater research model is underwater and in motion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for directing a pursuing vehicle, such as a torpedo, on an intercept trajectory from a launching vehicle to a target vehicle with evasion capabilities. The guidance system bases a solution on vectors on a first Cartesian coordinate system. Evasive maneuvers for the target vehicle are based upon vectors on a second Cartesian coordinate system. The guidance system converts the evasive maneuver to the first coordinate system and then performs an iterative process using initial guidance parameter values to determine, upon convergence of the solutions, final guidance parameters for the target vehicle.

Abstract: A torpedo mounted dispenser for a coil of flex hose and control wire includes a rigid shell round in widthwise cross section, and a circular shock mount disposed centrally of the shell, the shell and the shock mount defining an annular chamber therebetween. Hooks are mounted on an exterior wall of the shell. Slots are defined by the shell, each slot being proximate one of the hooks. A retainer ring is disposed in the chamber. Retainer loops each extend at least partly around the retainer ring, through one of the slots, and is attached to one of the hooks. The coil of flex hose and control wire is disposed in the chamber and is movable lengthwise through the retainer ring while uncoiling and paying out from the dispenser.

Abstract: A system is provided in which a torpedo is launched from a submarine and pays out an optical fiber as it moves away from the submarine towards a target. The optical fiber is attached to the submarine and provides an optical communications link between the submarine and the torpedo. In addition to carrying communications between the submarine and torpedo, the optical fiber includes optical acoustic sensors. The optical fiber serves as a forward deployed acoustic array to gather target bearing and range data that is processed at the submarine. With the array deployed directly within the engagement arena, the submarine can more accurately analyze the acoustic environment to better guide the torpedo through countermeasure avoidance and to target acquisition. The optical fiber pays out behind the torpedo at the same rate that the torpedo moves away from the submarine.