Method For The Destruction Of A Localized Mine

Abstract

A method for the destruction of a localized mine, wherein an unmanned underwater vessel cooperates as a primary vessel ( 11 ) withy another unmanned remote-controlled underwater vessel acting as a secondary vessel ( 12 ) and which is provided with an explosive charge for explosion purposes. To reduce clearing costs compared to a method that uses a disposable vessel and to reduce clearing times compared to a method using a re-usable clearing vehicle, the primary and secondary vessels ( 11, 12 ) are used in an autonomously operating mode wherein the secondary vessel ( 12 ) is remotely controlled by the primary vessel ( 11 ). The tandem mode is effected as far as the mine ( 33 ) from the primary vessel ( 11 ) outwards by use of stored positional data on the localized mine ( 33 ) and on-board assisted navigation data; the mine ( 33 ) is relocalized using optical and/or optical sensors, and the secondary vessel ( 12 ) is positioned in relation to the mine ( 33 ) in a remote-controlled manner once the mine has been relocalized and the explosive charge is exploded by remote control.

1 . A method for the destruction of a localized mine ( 33 ), in which an unmanned underwater vehicle cooperates as a primary vehicle ( 11 ) with an unmanned, remotely controlled underwater vehicle as a secondary vehicle ( 12 ), which is equipped with an explosive charge ( 28 ), for detonation of the localized mine ( 33 ), characterized in that the two underwater vehicles ( 11 ,  12 ) are used as an autonomously operating tandem, in which the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) is remotely controlled from the primary vehicle ( 11 ), in that the tandem is guided to the mine ( 33 ) from the primary vehicle ( 11 ) by means of stored position data relating to the localized mine ( 33 ) and on-board-based navigation data, in that the mine ( 33 ) is relocalized from the primary vehicle ( 11 ) by means of acoustic and/or optical sensors ( 21 ,  22 ), in that, once the mine ( 33 ) has been relocalized, the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) is positioned by remote control from the primary vehicle adjacent to the mine ( 33 ), and in that the explosive charge ( 28 ) is remotely detonated from the primary vehicle ( 11 ).  
   
   
       2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the primary vehicle ( 11 ) additionally optically identifies the relocalized mine ( 33 ) and uses stored mine data to optimize the position of the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) adjacent to the mine ( 33 ).  
   
   
       3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that a program routine is carried out in the primary vehicle ( 11 ) before remote detonation of the explosive charge ( 28 ) and initiates a movement of the primary vehicle ( 11 ) away from the mine ( 33 ) corresponding to a predetermined safety separation.  
   
   
       4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the position data relating to the localized mine ( 33 ) is stored in the primary vehicle ( 11 ) before the start of the mission for mine destruction.  
   
   
       5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the position data relating to the localized mine ( 33 ) is transmitted to the primary vehicle ( 11 ) while carrying out the mine destruction mission.  
   
   
       6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that steering signals for the primary and the secondary vehicle ( 11 ,  12 ) are calculated in the primary vehicle ( 11 ) by means of artificial intelligence ( 26 ) from the position data relating to the localized mine ( 33 ) and from the on-board-based navigation data.  
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the primary vehicle ( 11 ) and secondary vehicle ( 12 ) are connected to one another by a connection cable ( 34 ), and the steering signals are transmitted from the primary vehicle ( 11 ) to the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) via the connection cable ( 24 ).  
   
   
       8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that propulsion energy which is required by the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) is transmitted from the primary vehicle ( 11 ) via the connection cable ( 24 ).  
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that a detonation signal for remote initiation of the explosive charge ( 28 ) in the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) is transmitted via the connection cable ( 24 ).  
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that, while moving in tandem to the localized mine ( 33 ), the cable length of the connection cable ( 24 ) which is deployed between the primary vehicle ( 11 ) and the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) is controlled such that it is continuously matched to the instantaneous distance between the two vehicles ( 11 ,  12 ).  
   
   
       11 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the primary vehicle ( 11 ) and secondary vehicle ( 12 ) are carried jointly on a platform ( 10 ), and are configured as a tandem after deployment from the platform ( 10 ).  
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the localization of the mine ( 33 ) and the determination of the position data relating to the localized mine ( 33 ) are carried out by means of an actively locating sonar device which is arranged on the platform ( 10 ).  
   
   
       13 . A mine destruction system having two unmanned underwater vehicles which each have at least one propulsion motor ( 13 ,  14 ) and a steering apparatus ( 15 ,  16 ) respectively, one of which is remotely controlled and has an explosive charge which can be detonated remotely for mine destruction, and having acoustic and/or optical sensors ( 21 ,  22 ) for underwater use, characterized in that the underwater vehicles form a tandem which operates autonomously and is composed of a primary vehicle ( 11 ) and a secondary vehicle ( 12 ), in that the primary vehicle ( 11 ) has a memory ( 27 ) for storage of the position data relating to a localized mine ( 33 ), a navigation device ( 20 ) and control electronics ( 25 ), and is equipped with the acoustic and/or optical sensors ( 21 ,  22 ), and in that the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) is equipped with the explosive charge ( 28 ) and with a fuze ( 29 ) for remote detonation of the explosive charge ( 28 ).  
   
   
       14 . The mine destruction system as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that the primary vehicle ( 11 ) and the secondary vehicle ( 12 ) are connected to one another via a connection cable ( 24 ), and in that the connection cable ( 24 ) is designed to transmit steering signals to the steering apparatus ( 16 ) for the secondary vehicle ( 12 ), and/or to transmit electrical power from an energy source ( 19 ), which is arranged in the primary vehicle ( 11 ), to the secondary vehicle ( 12 ).  
   
   
       15 . The mine destruction system as claimed in  claim 14 , characterized in that the connection cable ( 24 ) can be wound up on a cable drum ( 23 ) which is installed in the primary vehicle ( 11 ), and in that the cable drum ( 23 ) can be controlled such that the deployed length of the connection cable ( 24 ) from the cable drum ( 23 ) is continuously matched to the instantaneous distance between the primary vehicle ( 11 ) and the secondary vehicle ( 12 ).  
   
   
       16 . The mine destruction system as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that the primary vehicle ( 11 ) has artificial intelligence ( 26 ) for processing of the position data relating to the mine ( 33 ), and of the navigation data from the navigation device ( 20 ).  
   
   
       17 . The mine destruction system as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that the acoustic sensors ( 21 ) have a short-range sensor, and the optical sensors ( 22 ) have a TV camera with illumination.