Commando Subs Sending Drones, Robo-Torpedos into Combat
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/07/commando-subs-sending-drone...


By David Axe, July 28, 2009 | 9:46 am |

"The U.S. Navy’s four Special Forces-optimized submarines are using a wide range of robots in combat in coastal areas, the Navy’s top officer for irregular warfare said in a surprisingly candid interview. The Ohio-class guided-missile subs, modified from surplus ballistic-missile boats, have been outfitted with robotic mini-subs and at least two types of unmanned aerial vehicle, according to Rear Adm. Mark W. Kenny. It seems Kenny’s comments, to Special Operations Technology reporter Scott Gourley, just barely slipped under a descending veil of secrecy. “These get classified real fast because we’re using these vehicles in operations,” Kenny admitted.

The guided-missile subs, called “SSGNs” by the Navy, had their nuclear missiles removed starting in 2002. The boats’ nuke missile tubes now contain clusters of conventional Tomahawk cruise missiles or serve as “payload tubes” for equipment, including robots. The SSGNs have accommodations for up to 66 SEALs or other commandos.
The Navy’s submarine force is notoriously publicity-shy — it’s not for no reason submariners call themselves the “silent service.” U.S. Special Operations Command is equally hush-hush. Now combine the two — and you’ll understand why the Kenny interview is so surprising. He detailed three robots now found aboard the Ohio boats:

* Sea Stalker, a torpedo-size underwater robot that specializes in snooping on radio signals and other communications. “The [concept] is to launch these from submarines at night,” Kenny said. “They will transit to offshore, anchor, put their antennas out and begin collection. Ideally you would have a series of these … to cover different ports or hotbeds of terrorist activity. And then you would collate that information on board the ship.”

* Scan Eagle, the 45-pound aerial bot that has seen heavy use by the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kenny says Special Operations Command is looking at boosting Scan Eagle with extra fuel and sensors — and maybe even weapons, like the Air Force’s armed Predators and Reapers. It seems Scan Eagle is launched from a sub’s deck while she is surfaced, but that could change. “We’re looking at launch and recovery from an SSGN payload tube to allow clandestine close-in operations,” Kenny said.

* BUSTER, a 15-pound UAV that Kenny says is particularly useful when working with foreign armies. “We’ve … done some very successful operations with allies, doing foreign internal defense, training them to operate this vehicle.” The allied armies launch BUSTER from land, while the submarine “pulls in the full motion video and the infrared, correlates it and fuses it in our battle management centers on board.”
Looking ahead, the Navy wants to give its new Virginia-class attack submarines the same ability to carry robots, by outfitting them with a “payload module” similar to the SSGNs’ former missile tubes.