Weapon clearance appliance for clearing weapons, such as underwater mines, under water, unmanned underwater vehicle having a weapon clearance appliance of this kind, and method for this purpose

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for clearing weapons that have been sunk in waterways using a weapon clearance appliance. The weapon clearance appliance comprises means for detachable connection to an unmanned underwater vehicle, so that the underwater vehicle is a safe distance away when the weapon is detonated. The volume of the weapon clearance appliance is chosen such that the buoyancy force which acts on the weapon clearance appliance under water compensates for the force of gravity acting on the weapon clearance appliance. Therefore, the weapon clearance appliance has neutral buoyancy, as a result of which, after the weapon clearance appliance has been released from the underwater vehicle, there is no need to retrim the underwater vehicle. Therefore, there is no need for trimming devices on the underwater vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for clearing an underwater weapon, such as a mine or munition, that has been sunk in waterway using a weapon clearance appliance, wherein the weapon clearance appliance is structured and operable to be releasably connected to an unmanned underwater vehicle and comprises a retaining device structured and operable to fix the weapon clearance appliance to the weapon, said method comprising:
 attaching the weapon clearance appliance to the weapon using the retaining device;   releasing the weapon clearance appliance from the unmanned underwater vehicle at the same time as the weapon clearance appliance is attached to the weapon;   moving the unmanned underwater vehicle away from the weapon to a distance that is greater than or equal to a predetermined safety distance, and activating the weapon clearance appliance such that the weapon is detonated.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weapon clearance appliance comprises at least one of:
 one or more clearance charge with a directional effect; and   a spoof device structured and operable to simulate characteristics of at least one of marine vessels and submarines.