Releasable forward section of an underwater vehicle

A method of operating an underwater vehicle comprising:

• disengaging a lock that couples together a first section and a second section of the underwater vehicle, wherein the second section is positioned forward of the first section, and wherein the second section is associated with a drag fin that creates a drag force on the second section as the underwater vehicle travels through a fluid medium;
• pivoting the second section away from the first section as the drag force acts on the drag fin;
• and
• jettisoning the second section.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

• causing an underwater vehicle to be propelled in a forward direction through a fluid medium, wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a first section and second section positioned forward of the first section, and wherein the second section contains fuel for the underwater vehicle;
• determining that the fuel contained within the second section has been depleted;
• and
• based on the determination that the fuel contained within the second section has been depleted, causing a lock to disengage that, when engaged, couples together the first section and the second section of the underwater vehicle, wherein the second section is positioned forward of the first section, and wherein the second section is associated with a drag fin.