Method and apparatus for deploying an expendable autonomous underwater vehicle from a submarine

A system for deploying a vehicle into a body of water from a submarine, comprising:

• a trash disposal unit of the submarine;
• an expendable autonomous underwater vehicle;
• and
• one or more launch-aiding components for insertion into the trash disposal unit along with the vehicle in an arrangement which keeps the vehicle in a predetermined orientation within the trash disposal unit and which protects the trash disposal unit from damage, aids the vehicle in ejecting from the trash disposal unit and descending into the body of water to a depth at which the vehicle begins autonomous operation, and allows the launch-aiding components to fall away from the vehicle in the body of water as the vehicle descends thereinto to the depth at which the vehicle begins autonomous operation after the vehicle and the launch-aiding components are ejected from the trash disposal unit.

A system for deploying a vehicle into a body of water from a submarine, comprising:

• an expendable autonomous underwater vehicle;
• a discharge unit of the submarine, the discharge unit being sized to accommodate the expendable autonomous underwater vehicle and having a door at one end and a ball valve at another end;
• a plurality of launch-aiding components disposed within the discharge unit to secure the vehicle therewithin and to protect the discharge unit from damage which might otherwise be caused by the vehicle;
• and
• a pressure valve for introducing water into the discharge unit such that when the valve is opened the vehicle and the launch-aiding components are ejected into the body of water away from the submarine;
• wherein the vehicle descends into the body of water after ejection from the discharge unit to a safe distance away from the submarine before beginning autonomous operation.