DÉFENSE ZONE
The final trial of the “UAV on submarine” rapid experimentation operation (OER) recently took place off Toulon, marking a significant advance in the deployment of drones from submarines to collect video data.
As part of a project led by several entities of the Ministry of the Armed Forces and industry, the “UAV on submarine” rapid experimentation operation (OER) reached a crucial turning point on 4 May. Carried out off Toulon, the final trial involved deploying a drone from a submerged submarine, with the main objective of retrieving the video data and piloting the drone from inside the submarine.
This operation, supported by the Defence Innovation Agency (AID), the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the French Navy, aims to improve the submarine’s ability to perceive its environment. The use of a drone should allow the submarine to extend the range and horizon of its sensors and capabilities, making possible intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, radio relay and small parcel delivery missions, and more.
The drone system, a joint achievement of Naval Group and the SME Diodon, was deployed from a submerged nuclear attack submarine (SNA). Rising to the surface in a watertight protective cocoon designed by Naval Group, the drone took up position above sea level. The SNA then deployed its communications antenna to establish the data link. Once communication was established, the drone was piloted from the submarine, with the video feed from the drone’s camera relayed to the piloting console.
This successful trial feeds into thinking about the operational concepts that could be implemented with this type of drone. The next steps of the project aim to confirm these concepts within the Ministry of the Armed Forces. The success of this trial opens up promising prospects for operational capabilities in the near future.
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