Launch and recovery system for unmanned underwater vehicles

A launch and recovery system for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), comprising;

• a watercraft capable of navigating on a water surface, said watercraft having a stern endwall pivotable about a horizontal axis thereof between a first position and a second position, said stern endwall being substantially vertical in said first position and being angled downward and away from said watercraft to define a ramp that extends toward the water surface in said second position;
• a storage platform mounted on said watercraft for defining a storage area for at least one UUV, said storage platform having a forward end and an aft end wherein said aft end terminates at said horizontal axis;
• a telescopic arm pivotally mounted to said watercraft at a position forward of said storage platform, said telescopic arm having an outboard end that can be extended to positions aft of said watercraft and on either side thereof based on a pivot position of said telescopic arm, said telescopic arm being retractable such that said outboard end is positionable over said storage platform from said positions aft of said watercraft;
• capture means, mounted to said outboard end of said telescopic arm, for capturing a UUV that maneuvers thereto;
• and
• homing means coupled to said telescopic arm for transmitting a homing signal through the water for use by the UUV in maneuvering to said capture means.

A launch and recovery system for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), comprising:

• a watercraft capable of navigating on a water surface, said watercraft having a stern endwall movable between a first position and a second position, said stern endwall being substantially vertical in said first position and being angled downward and away from said watercraft to define a ramp that extends toward the water surface in said second position;
• position determination means mounted on said watercraft for determining a global position thereof on said water surface;
• communication means mounted on said watercraft for transmitting a signal indicative of said global position through the water;
• a storage platform mounted on said watercraft for defining a storage area for at least one UUV, said storage platform having a forward end and an aft end wherein said aft end terminates at said stern endwall;
• an arm pivotally mounted to said watercraft at a position forward of said storage platform, said arm having an outboard end that can be extended to positions aft of said watercraft and on either side thereof based on a pivot position of said arm, said arm being retractable such that said outboard end is positionable over said storage platform;
• capture means, mounted to said outboard end of said arm, for capturing a UUV that maneuvers thereto;
• and
• homing means coupled to said arm for transmitting a homing signal through the water for use by the UUV in maneuvering to said capture means.