Underwater system and method

A system for underwater use, comprising:

• an autonomous mother unmanned underwater vehicle (AMUV), configured for autonomously searching for and detecting undersea objects present in an undersea region of interest, for providing detection information for each detected said object relating to a characteristic of said objects, and for providing homing information regarding a respective location of at least one object of interest (OOI) among said objects;
• at least one auxiliary unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) configured for homing onto and neutralizing said at least one OOI based on said homing information;
• wherein said system is configured:
• for providing said homing information from the AMUV to a respective said UUV,
• for selectively transporting the respective said UUV via said AMUV, and for selectively releasing the respective UUV from the AMUV when said OOI has been identified, to selectively allow the UUV to home onto and neutralize said at least one OOI;
• and
• for subsequently providing verification information indicative that said OOI has been neutralized;
• wherein said AMUV comprises a communications system for communicating with a central control and configured for sending and/or receiving signals or data above the water surface, for at least one of:
• transmitting said verification information;
• transmitting object information relating to said objects to the central control.

A method for underwater use, comprising:

• (a) providing an autonomous mother unmanned underwater vehicle (AMUV) and at least one auxiliary unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV);
• (b) operating the AMUV for autonomously searching for and detecting undersea objects potentially present in an undersea region of interest (ROI);
• (c) identifying at least one object of interest (OOI) among the detected objects, and selectively transporting said at least one UUV to at least within a predetermined distance from a location of said at least one OOI;
• (d) causing said at least one UUV to interact with said at least one OOI at least within said predetermined distance;
• (e) providing verification information indicative of said interaction between said at least one UUV and said OOI;
• (f) transmitting at least one of said verification information and said object information.

A system for underwater use, comprising:

• an autonomous mother unmanned underwater vehicle (AMUV) and at least one auxiliary unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV),
• the AMUV being configured for autonomously searching for and detecting undersea objects potentially present in an undersea region of interest (ROI), for generating object information relating to the objects detected thereby to enable identification of at least one object of interest (OOI) among the detected objects, and for selectively transporting said at least one UUV to at least within a predetermined distance from a location of said at least one OOI;
• said at least one UUV being configured for interacting with said at least one OOI at least within said predetermined distance;
• the system being further configured for providing verification information indicative of said interaction between said at least one UUV and said OOI;
• wherein said AMUV comprises a communications system at least configured for transmitting said verification information;
• and
• wherein the OOI is a mine and wherein said interaction comprises neutralizing the mine.