Marine vessel disablement system and method

Abstract

An example is directed to a marine vessel disablement system including an underwater vehicle including an underwater vehicle propulsion system and a warhead; a propulsion mechanism disabling member disposed in the warhead; and an energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member to mechanically disable a target propulsion mechanism of a marine vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A marine vessel disablement system comprising:
 an underwater vehicle including an underwater vehicle propulsion system and a warhead;   a propulsion mechanism disabling member disposed in the warhead; and   an energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member to mechanically disable a target propulsion mechanism of a marine vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the propulsion mechanism disabling member comprises at least one of a drogue line, a rope, a chain, a mesh of fabric, a rod, synthetic hagfish slime, or synthetic spider silk proteins.   
     
     
         3 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the energy unit is configured to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member at a target propeller of the target propulsion mechanism to cause one of significantly slowing or stopping of a rotation of propeller blades of the target propeller.   
     
     
         4 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the energy unit comprises an energetic material including at least one of explosives or compressed air configured to deploy the propulsion mechanism disabling member from the warhead toward the target propulsion mechanism.   
     
     
         5 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a sensor, a communications device, and a control system which is configured to control the underwater vehicle propulsion system to direct the warhead at the target propulsion mechanism of the marine vessel based on at least one of an instruction received by the communications device or sensor information received by the sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the underwater vehicle is tethered to a control center which sends the instruction to the communications device to direct the warhead at the target propulsion mechanism.   
     
     
         7 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the sensor is configured to sense a location of the target propulsion mechanism; and   wherein the control system is configured to control the underwater vehicle propulsion system to direct the warhead at the target propulsion mechanism based on information of the location of the target propulsion mechanism from the sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the sensor is configured to sense proximity of the target propulsion mechanism to obtain proximity information; and   wherein the control system is configured to control the energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member at the target propulsion mechanism based on the proximity information from the sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the sensor is configured to sense a suction flow toward the target propulsion mechanism; and   wherein the control system is configured to control the energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member at the target propulsion mechanism based on information of the suction flow from the sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the propulsion mechanism disabling member comprises a low order explosive to be launched toward the target propulsion mechanism with delayed ignition after separation of the propulsion mechanism disabling member from the underwater vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . A marine vessel disablement method comprising:
 directing an underwater vehicle including an underwater vehicle propulsion system and a warhead toward a target propulsion mechanism of a marine vessel; and   activating an energy unit in the warhead to launch a propulsion mechanism disabling member disposed in the warhead to mechanically disable the target propulsion mechanism of the marine vessel.   
     
     
         12 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 11 , wherein activating the energy unit in the warhead comprises:
 launching the propulsion mechanism disabling material including at least one of a drogue line, a rope, a chain, a mesh of fabric, a rod, synthetic hagfish slime, or synthetic spider silk proteins.   
     
     
         13 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 11 , wherein activating the energy unit in the warhead comprises:
 launching the propulsion mechanism disabling member at a target propeller of the target propulsion mechanism to cause one of significantly slowing or stopping of a rotation of propeller blades of the target propeller.   
     
     
         14 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 11 , wherein activating the energy unit in the warhead comprises:
 activating an energetic material including at least one of explosives or compressed air configured to deploy the propulsion mechanism disabling material from the warhead toward the target propulsion mechanism.   
     
     
         15 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 11 , wherein directing the underwater vehicle toward the target propulsion mechanism of the marine vessel comprises:
 controlling the underwater vehicle propulsion system to direct the warhead at the target propulsion mechanism of the marine vessel based on at least one of an instruction received by a communications device in the underwater vehicle or sensor information received by a sensor in the underwater vehicle.   
     
     
         16 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 tethering the underwater vehicle to a control center which sends the instruction to the communications device to direct the warhead at the target propulsion mechanism.   
     
     
         17 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sensing a location of the target propulsion mechanism by the sensor; and   controlling the underwater vehicle propulsion system to direct the warhead at the target propulsion mechanism based on information of the location of the target propulsion mechanism from the sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sensing proximity information of the target propulsion mechanism by the sensor; and   controlling the energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member at the target propulsion mechanism based on the proximity information from the sensor.   
     
     
         19 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sensing a suction flow toward the target propulsion mechanism by the sensor; and   controlling the energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling member at the target propulsion mechanism based on information of the suction flow from the sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The marine vessel disablement method of  claim 11 , wherein activating the energy unit in the warhead to launch the propulsion mechanism disabling material disposed in the warhead comprises:
 launching a low order explosive toward the target propulsion mechanism with delayed ignition after separation of the propulsion mechanism disabling member from the underwater vehicle.   
     
     
         21 . A marine vessel disablement system comprising:
 an underwater vehicle including an underwater vehicle propulsion system and a warhead;   nonlethal means for disabling a propulsion mechanism in a nonlethal manner; and   an energy unit in the warhead to launch the nonlethal means to disable a target propulsion mechanism of a marine vessel.   
     
     
         22 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 21 ,
 wherein the energy unit is configured to launch the nonlethal means at a target propeller of the target propulsion mechanism to cause one of significantly slowing or stopping of a rotation of propeller blades of the target propeller.   
     
     
         23 . The marine vessel disablement system of  claim 21 ,
 wherein the energy unit comprises an energetic material including at least one of explosives or compressed air configured to deploy the nonlethal means from the warhead toward the target propulsion mechanism.