Launching device and launching method of underwater traveling vehicle

Abstract

To launch as many underwater traveling vehicles as possible from the mother ship.SOLUTION: An underwater traveling vehicle launching device comprises a mother ship 1 equipped with a pressure hull and capable of sailing underwater, a storage section 2 attached to the outside of the pressure hull of the mother ship 1 and storing a plurality of underwater traveling vehicles 4 in a connectable and detachable manner, and a braking section 6 that applies resistance to the underwater traveling vehicles 4 stored in the storage section 2 in a direction against the traveling direction of the mother ship 1. The mother ship 1 stores a large number of the underwater traveling vehicles 4 and can launch the plurality of underwater traveling vehicles 4 at will by applying resistance in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the mother ship 1 using the braking section 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle launching device and a launching method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1, which is related to the present invention, discloses a method and an apparatus for launching an underwater vehicle by launching the underwater vehicle from an external launch tube inside an external launch tube bundle mounted on an underwater mother ship. The "Underwater vehicle launching device and launching method" disclosed in Patent Document 1 solved the following problems that arise when an underwater vehicle is pushed (launched) forward by the pressure of compressed air or high-pressure water from an underwater mother ship when launching the underwater vehicle. When the underwater vehicle is launched using compressed air, a large amount of compressed air is released together with the underwater vehicle from the outer door of the launch tube installed on the underwater mother ship, generating a very loud launch noise. When the underwater vehicle is launched using high-pressure water, the launch noise tends to be slightly quieter than when using compressed air, but it still generates a loud launch noise and the position of the underwater mother ship is revealed. When using compressed air or high-pressure water to launch the underwater vehicle forward, if the mother ship's diving depth is deeper than a certain limit, the water pressure around the mother ship will be too high to launch it, which limits the diving depth at which the mother ship can launch the underwater vehicle. The number of launch tubes that can be installed on a mother ship is generally limited to 4-8 due to the size of the hull and the launch tubes when using conventional methods that use compressed air or high-pressure water to launch missiles forward. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-071271 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The underwater vehicle launching device described in Patent Document 1 solves the above-mentioned problems associated with a system in which an underwater mother ship uses compressed air or high-pressure water to push forward an underwater vehicle stored inside a launch tube, but since only 4 to 8 underwater vehicles can be launched simultaneously, the following problems still remain to be solved. For example, if only a limited number of underwater vehicles (4-8) can be launched simultaneously from one underwater mother ship, even if the mother ship is in the favorable condition of being submerged where it is difficult to detect by radar, etc., when confronted with a group of target ships that is more than 4-8, it is impossible to launch underwater vehicles at all of the ships. Therefore, it is difficult to avoid searches and subsequent counterattacks by ships or helicopters mounted on them that are equivalent to a number greater than the number launched. Therefore, it is desirable to significantly improve the defense deterrence of the underwater mother ship by continuously launching as many underwater vehicles as possible from the underwater mother ship, enough to exceed the number of targets. Also, considering the possibility that the underwater mother ship will have to deal with a large number of ships, it will be necessary to spend a large amount of money to build many ships that will serve as underwater mother ships, and to train the crew members required to operate the many ships that have been built. In light of this, it is desirable to have a single underwater mother ship have the deterrent effect against a large number of ships.

[0005] Furthermore, even if the method described in Patent Document 1 of applying fluid resistance to the underwater vehicle to allow it to detach from the mother ship is adopted, there is still a problem that there is a limit to the number of underwater vehicles that can be launched continuously from a single underwater mother ship, and therefore the deterrent effect of a single underwater mother ship is limited.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to continuously launch as many underwater vehicles as possible from one mother ship. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the underwater vehicle launching device of the present invention is characterized in having a mother ship equipped with a pressure-resistant hull and capable of traveling underwater, a storage section attached to the outside of the pressure-resistant hull of the mother ship and storing multiple underwater vehicles in a connectable and detachable manner, and a braking section that applies resistance to the underwater vehicles stored in the storage section in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the mother ship.

[0008] The underwater vehicle launch method of the present invention is characterized in that it includes a step of storing a plurality of underwater vehicles outside a pressure hull of a mother ship capable of moving underwater and in a manner that allows them to be connected and detached, and a step of detaching the plurality of underwater vehicles from the mother ship by applying resistance to the plurality of underwater vehicles in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the mother ship. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the number of underwater vehicles that can be launched continuously from an underwater capable mother ship. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of an underwater vehicle launching device according to a minimum configuration example of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B show an underwater vehicle launching device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view and (b) is a front view. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are enlarged views of a multiple underwater vehicle launching machine provided in the underwater vehicle launching device shown in FIG. 2, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view. [Figure 4] 3 is a side view of the underwater vehicle launched by the underwater vehicle launching device shown in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the ejected state of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 4A and 4B show the internal structure of the multiple underwater vehicle launch vehicle shown in FIG. 3, where (a) is a longitudinal sectional view and (b) is a transverse sectional view. [Figure 7] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the rear end portion of the external launch tube shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8]8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the watertight structure shown in FIG. 7, in which (a) shows an open state and (b) shows a closed state. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a side view of the underwater vehicle shown in FIG. 2 with a braking unit attached. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of a part of a storage section for a braking device of the underwater vehicle in FIG. 9, where (a) is an exploded perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of another part of the storage section of the braking device in FIG. 9, where (a) is an exploded perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. [Figure 12] 3 is a block diagram of a control unit of the underwater vehicle launching device of FIG. 2. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart of a process executed by a control unit in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 14 is an explanatory diagram of each separation direction in the calculation of the deceleration movement distance in the processing of FIG. 13. FIG. [Figure 15] 3 is a flowchart showing the order of steps of a launch operation in the underwater vehicle launch device of FIG. 2. [Figure 16] 11A and 11B show an underwater vehicle launching device in which the mounting position of the external launch tube bundle is changed according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a front view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] An example of the minimum configuration of an underwater vehicle launching device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This underwater vehicle launching device comprises a mother ship 1 equipped with a pressure hull and capable of traveling underwater, a storage section 2 attached to the outside of the pressure hull of the mother ship 1 and storing a number of underwater vehicles 4 in a connectable and detachable manner, and a braking section 6 that applies resistance to the underwater vehicles 4 stored in the storage section 2 in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the mother ship 1.

[0012] According to the above configuration, since the mother ship 1 has a pressure hull, it can travel underwater while withstanding as much external pressure as the pressure resistance strength of the pressure hull allows. The mother ship 1 also has a storage section 2, which has multiple external launch tubes 3 therein, and each external launch tube 3 can house an underwater vehicle 4. Therefore, the mother ship 1 can store a large number of the underwater vehicles 4 as a whole, and can launch any number of the underwater vehicles 4 by applying resistance in the opposite direction to the traveling direction of the mother ship 1 using the braking section 6.

[0013] The underwater vehicle launch method according to a minimum configuration example of the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of underwater vehicles 4 outside a pressure hull of a mother ship 1 which is equipped with a pressure hull and is capable of moving underwater, in a manner that allows them to be connected to and detached from the mother ship 1; and detaching the plurality of underwater vehicles 4 from the mother ship 1 by applying resistance to the mother ship 1 in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the mother ship 1.

[0014] According to the above configuration, since the mother ship 1 is equipped with a pressure hull, it can travel underwater while withstanding as much external pressure as the pressure resistance strength of the pressure hull allows. Also, the mother ship 1 stores underwater vehicles 4 in each of the multiple external launch tubes 3 inside the storage unit 2, and can launch the multiple underwater vehicles 4 at will by applying resistance in the opposite direction to the traveling direction of the mother ship 1 using the braking unit 6.

[0015] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The underwater mother ship 1 is equipped with, for example, an engine, living quarters for the crew, navigation equipment, etc. inside a pressure hull having a watertight structure capable of withstanding a predetermined external pressure, and is capable of sailing with at least a portion of it submerged underwater for at least a predetermined period of time, and has the function of launching an underwater vehicle 4.

[0016] The underwater mother ship 1 is provided on its upper portion with two external launch tube bundles 2, one on each of the starboard and port sides, which serve as storage sections for storing external launch tubes 3. This external launch tube bundle 2 is a multiple underwater vehicle launching machine for bundling the external launch tubes 3 containing the underwater vehicles 4 and equipping them on the underwater mother ship 1, and is shaped into a teardrop or cigar to reduce water current resistance when a large number of external launch tubes 3 are installed on the outside of the underwater mother ship 1.

[0017] Since the external launch tube bundle 2 is not watertight and has a configuration in which water flows inside and outside, it does not need to withstand water pressure underwater, and it is sufficient if it has the strength to simply bundle a plurality of external launch tubes 3 and connect them to the underwater mother ship 1. In view of such structural conditions, it is desirable to reduce the weight of the external launch tube bundle 2 by using light materials such as glass fiber and carbon fiber. Even if the external launch tube 3 has a watertight structure, it is sufficient if it is very small compared to the mother ship 1 and has a volume and shape sufficient to store a propulsion unit, weapons, etc. as a simple underwater vehicle, so the pressure resistance required for the external launch tube 3 may be smaller than that of the mother ship 1. Furthermore, for example, if the diameter of the external launch tube bundle 2 is approximately 3 m and the inner diameter of the external launch tube 3 is approximately 500 mm, 19 external launch tubes 3 can be installed in the external launch tube bundle 2 by arranging them as shown in Figure 3 (b).

[0018] Each external launch tube 3 shown in Figs. 2 to 8 is a device that stores the underwater vehicle 4 and launches it as necessary. The launch tube for the underwater vehicle installed in the pressure hull of a normal underwater mother ship 1 has a so-called airlock mechanism, and the underwater vehicle is loaded from inside the pressure hull with its door closed before launch, and the airlock is opened and closed after launch to drain seawater inside the launch tube. If re-launch is required, the underwater vehicle is loaded into the launch tube using the airlock again and launched, so that a process of opening and closing the airlock is required each time it is loaded. In contrast, the external launch tube 3 of the first embodiment has the underwater vehicles 4 pre-loaded in the multiple external launch tubes 3 even when the underwater mother ship 1 is submerged (underwater), so that the underwater vehicles 4 can be continuously launched as many times as the number of the external launch tubes 3 without going through a reloading process.

[0019] The underwater vehicle 4 is launched from the underwater mother ship 1, and approaches the target ship based on the estimated position information of the target ship and the approach route information to the ship given before launch. underwater It is an unmanned vehicle that has the function of autonomously homing to a target ship using target search sensors such as sonar and magnetic sensors equipped on the vehicle 4. In addition, more modern underwater vehicles 4 may be able to receive wired or wireless guidance from the underwater mother ship 1 via cables such as optical fibers based on information about the target position obtained from the underwater mother ship 1 or ships other than the underwater mother ship, helicopters, sonobuoys, etc., during the entire voyage after launch or during part of the voyage.

[0020] 2, reference numeral 5 denotes a screw propeller of the underwater mother ship 1, and the underwater mother ship 1 can move forward or backward by the thrust generated by the rotation of this screw propeller 5. Reference numeral 7A denotes a side sonar array. A typical underwater mother ship 1 is equipped with a cylindrical or spherical forward sonar array 7B at the tip of the hull, which can receive or transmit and receive sound waves propagating through the water and detect the direction and distance of an object such as a ship.

[0021] 4, 5 and 9, reference numeral 8 denotes a drogue chute. The drogue chute 8 is installed in an open state (in a state capable of generating resistance by receiving a water current) at the rear of each of the underwater vehicles 4 loaded in the external launch tube 3, and when the external launch tube door 17 is opened to launch the underwater vehicle 4 (including not only cases in which it is possible to separate or move away by releasing the connection with the underwater mother ship 1, but also cases in which an external force is actively applied to separate the underwater vehicle 4 from the underwater mother ship 1), the drogue chute 8 is pulled out of the external launch tube 3 by the water current, sinks due to gravity acting on the secondary weight 9 connected to the drogue chute 8, and applies a rearward force (in a direction to pull out of the external launch tube 3) to the main parachute 11 connected via the drogue cable 10. In other words, the drogue chute 8 functions as an auxiliary braking unit that applies a force to pull out the main parachute 11 as the braking unit 6 from the external launch tube 3 by the resistance generated by the navigation of the underwater mother ship 1.

[0022] 9 and 10, the secondary weight 9 has a role of sinking the rear ends of the drogue chute 8 and the drogue cable 10 by gravity acting against buoyancy. That is, the secondary weight 9 sinks downward, thereby preventing the drogue chute 8 and the drogue cable 10, which are pulled out to the outside of the external launch tube 3, from becoming entangled with the screw propeller 5 of the underwater mother ship 1. In addition, in a stored state before the drogue chute 8 is pulled out to the outside of the external launch tube 3, the secondary weight 9 has a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 9, and therefore can be stored with the drogue cable 10 wound around the outside of the cylinder that the secondary weight 9 forms.

[0023] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the drogue cable 10 connects the drogue chute 8 and the main parachute 11, and when the drogue chute 8 is pulled out of the external launch tube 3, resistance generated by the water current accompanying the navigation of the underwater mother ship 1 acts on the main parachute 11 in the backward direction of the underwater mother ship 1's travel, thereby pulling it out of the external launch tube 3.

[0024] In the first embodiment of the underwater vehicle continuous multiple launch device, the main parachute 11 has the role of pulling the underwater vehicle 4 in the external launch tube 3 out of the external launch tube 3, slowing down the underwater vehicle 4 after launch, and separating it from the underwater mother ship 1 due to the speed difference. The main weight 12 is disposed at a position between the main parachute 11 and the braking cable 13 to connect them, and serves to sink the main parachute 11 together with the rear end of the braking cable 13 by gravity acting against buoyancy. In this way, by sinking the main parachute 11 and moving it away from the underwater mother ship 1, the main parachute 11 and the braking cable 13, which are pulled out of the external launch tube 3, are prevented from becoming entangled in the screw propeller 5 of the underwater mother ship 1. Before the main parachute 11 is deployed, as shown in (b) of FIG. 11, the main weight 12, which is cylindrical and hollow inside, is configured to store the main parachute 11 in a folded state in the internal cavity and store the braking cable 13 in a wound state on the outside of the cylinder.

[0025] In Figures 4, 5 and 11, the braking cable 13 indicated by the symbol 13 is stored in a wound state around the main weight 12, as shown in Figure 11(a), and connects the main parachute 11 and the underwater vehicle 4. When the main parachute 11 opens, it pulls the underwater vehicle 4, which has become slower relative to the underwater mother ship 1 due to resistance to the water current, out of the external launch tube 3.

[0026] In Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, reference number 14 designates the rear door of the external launch bundle 2. The rear door 14 is a door that opens to launch the underwater vehicle 4 from the rear of the teardrop-shaped external launch tube bundle 2. The inside of the external launch tube bundle 2 is not watertight, and strength to withstand water pressure underwater is not required (there is no need for a pressure hull), so the rear door 14 can be made lighter by using a light material such as glass fiber or carbon fiber. In Figures 6(a) and 6(b), reference numeral 15 denotes a rear door rotation shaft. This rear door rotation shaft 15 is the shaft that becomes the rotation center when the rear door 14 is rotated to open, and by attaching it to the top of the external launch tube bundle 2, the rear door 14 can be rotated 180 degrees (almost a half turn) and positioned upward, allowing it to be moved to a position where it is completely open (where the entire surface is open without overlapping with the cross section of the external launch tube bundle 2). When the rear door 14 is opened, the rear door 14 is positioned at a position where it intersects with the water flow, and the distortion caused by the obstruction of the water flow generates stress, so the rear door rotation shaft 15 that becomes the rotation center of the rear door 14 and its bearing portion are made of a metal material that has the strength to withstand the stress.

[0027] In FIG. 6, 16 denotes a rear door rotation motor. The rear door rotation motor 16 is a motor that generates power for rotating the rear door 14, and the rotation of the rear door rotation motor 16 rotates the rear door rotation shaft 15 via a transmission mechanism 16a composed of multiple gears. In other words, the rear door rotation motor 16 is preferably installed on the inside of the rear door 14, not on the side of the external launch tube bundle 2, in order to efficiently utilize the space within the external launch tube bundle 2 and arrange the external launch tubes 3 at a high density by rotating the rear door rotation motor 16.

[0028] 6 to 8, 17 indicates an external launch tube door. This external launch tube door 17 is a door that rotates and opens around a door rotation axis 18 arranged along the external launch tube 3 when the underwater vehicle 4 is launched. Since the external launch tube 3 has a watertight structure, it needs to be made of a lightweight and durable material such as an aluminum alloy that can withstand the water pressure underwater. The external launch tube door rotation shaft 18 that rotates the external launch tube door 17 is a rotation shaft that transmits the rotation force generated by an external launch tube door rotation motor 19 installed at the front (end of the external launch tube door rotation shaft 18) of the external launch tube 3 to the external launch tube door 17 installed at the rear of the external launch tube 3. When the external launch tube door rotation shaft 18 rotates, seawater has already been injected into the external launch tube 3, so there is no water pressure difference in the operating direction, and therefore no large torque is required to counter the water pressure in the water to turn and open the external launch tube door 17.

[0029] The external launch tube door rotation motor 19 shown in FIG. 6 is a motor that generates power to rotate the external launch tube door 17 around the external launch tube door rotation shaft 18 via the external launch tube door rotation shaft 18 to open it. Before seawater is injected into the inside of the external launch tube 3 by opening the water injection valve 20, the external launch tube door 17 is pushed by water pressure due to the watertight structure of the inside of the external launch tube 3. Therefore, even if the external launch tube door rotation motor 19 malfunctions and tries to rotate, the external launch tube door 17 needs a large torque to rotate against the water pressure. By using a motor that does not have the ability to generate the torque required for rotation under the assumption of the use conditions (conditions for opening the door) that require this large torque, it is possible to prevent the external launch tube door 17 from malfunctioning and opening due to the unexpected rotation of the external launch tube door rotation motor 19.

[0030] The water injection valve 20 is equipped at the front of each external launch tube 3, and by opening this valve, seawater is injected into the inside of the external launch tube 3 just before the underwater vehicle 4 is launched from the external launch tube 3, thereby eliminating the difference in water pressure between the inside and outside of the external launch tube 3, allowing the external launch tube door rotation motor 19 to open the external launch tube door 17 with a small driving torque. In addition, in the space around the external launch tube bundle 2, the air in the space inside the external launch tube door 17 cannot be discharged unless the gas in the space is generally discharged from an exhaust port or exhaust valve in addition to the water injection valve 20 and replaced with seawater, but by filling the inside of the external launch tube 3 with a highly water-soluble gas such as carbon dioxide at a low pressure of about 0.3 atmospheres in advance, when the water injection valve 20 is opened and seawater enters, the water-soluble gas in the external launch tube 3 is dissolved in seawater, suppressing the release of gas bubbles that would be generated when the external launch tube door 17 is opened and the generation of noise associated with this release, and making the launch of the underwater vehicle 4 silent (quieter, if not completely silent). In addition, by lowering the air pressure inside the external launch tube 3, it is possible to prevent an accident in which the external launch tube door 17 opens inadvertently and releases the underwater vehicle 4 while the underwater mother ship 1 is surfaced.

[0031] In FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), reference numeral 21 denotes drain holes provided in the external launch tube bundle 2 and the rear door 14. The drain holes 21 are holes for discharging seawater remaining in the external launch tube bundle 2 when the submersible mother ship 1 is surfaced, and prevent unnecessary weight increase of the submersible mother ship 1 due to discharging unnecessary seawater. More specifically, a drain hole 21 for draining water is provided at the bottom, and a drain hole 21 for taking in air is provided at the top. These drain holes 21 are always open, and are also used to discharge air from inside the external launch tube bundle 2 and to let seawater in when the submersible mother ship 1 is submerged.

[0032] In Figures 6(a) and 6(b), reference numeral 22 denotes an underwater mother ship mounting base. The submersible mother ship mounting base 22 is a connection mechanism for mounting the external launch tube bundle 2 to the submersible mother ship 1, and is made of a structure made of a material such as steel so as to have sufficient strength to support the above-water and underwater weights of the external launch tube bundle 2. Furthermore, wiring is provided inside the submersible mother ship mounting base 22 for supplying power to operate the rear door rotation motor 16, the external launch tube door rotation motor 19, and the water injection valve 20.

[0033] It is preferable that the underwater mother ship mounting base 22 is provided with a mechanism for detaching the external launch tube bundle 2 from the underwater mother ship 1 in the event of an emergency. Here, an emergency is assumed to be a case where the underwater mother ship 1 needs to navigate at high speed while submerged and it is desired to minimize the resistance associated with the navigation, or a case where the soundness of a safety device for preventing an accidental explosion of the underwater vehicle 4 inside the external launch tube 3 is no longer completely sound and it is necessary to detach the bundle 2 in order to reliably avoid a situation in which the safety is not sufficiently guaranteed.

[0034] In Figures 7 and 8, reference numeral 23 denotes an outer launch tube door rotary bearing. The external launch tube door rotation bearing 23 is attached to the rear of the external launch tube 3 and supports the external launch tube door rotation shaft 18. Between the external launch tube 3 and the external launch tube door 17, as shown in Fig. 8(a), a watertight rubber ring 24 is sandwiched in a state of elastic deformation due to compression, which seals the gap between them when the external launch tube door 17 is closed. The watertight ring 24 is separated from the gap between the external launch tube 3 and the external launch tube door 17 by rotating the external launch tube door 17 upward to open the external launch tube 3, but is configured and arranged in a dimension that allows a gap 25 to be secured between the end face of the external launch tube 3 and the external launch tube door 17 after launch, so that the rotation is not hindered by contact with the end face of the external launch tube 3 (the left end of Fig. 8(b)) when the external launch tube door 17 is closed in a state in which the watertight rubber ring 24 is removed after the underwater vehicle 4 is launched.

[0035] The watertight rubber ring 24 is an annular elastic member inserted between the external launch tube 3 and the external launch tube door 17, and seals the gap between the external launch tube 3 and the external launch tube door 17. That is, when the external launch tube 3 is in the air, such as when the underwater mother ship 1 is surfaced, the watertight rubber ring 24 seals the external launch tube 3, which has a predetermined internal pressure, by closely contacting the end face of the external launch tube door 17 to maintain airtightness, and when the external launch tube 3 is underwater, the water pressure outside the external launch tube 3 causes the watertightness to be secured by closely contacting the end face of the external launch tube door 17. In addition, when the water inlet valve 20 is opened underwater, the watertight rubber ring 24 no longer fits tightly to the external launch tube door 17 because the water pressure difference between the inside and outside of the external launch tube 3 is eliminated, and when the external launch tube door 17 rotates open, the watertight rubber ring 24 detaches from the external launch tube door 17 and is released to the outside of the underwater mother ship 1. However, by using a flexible material such as rubber, even if it comes into contact with the screw propeller 5, damage to the screw propeller 5 can be minimized.

[0036] In addition, the gap 25 that is formed after the underwater vehicle 4 is launched, as shown in Figures 7, 8(a) and (b), is a gap of approximately 10 mm that is formed between the end faces of the external launch tube 3 and the external launch tube door 17.When the underwater mother ship 1 surfaces after the underwater vehicle 4 is launched, this gap serves as a drain for discharging seawater from inside the external launch tube 3, and is also used as a gap for passing cables such as optical fibers used when guiding the underwater vehicle 4 from the underwater mother ship 1 via a wired connection.

[0037] In FIG. 9, reference numeral 26 denotes a pump jet propulsion device mounted on the rear of the underwater vehicle 4 . The pump jet propulsor 26 is equipped with a screw propeller that draws in and discharges seawater to generate thrust for the underwater vehicle 4 to travel, and a rudder that adjusts the direction of travel. While the brake cable 13 is pulled rearward by the opening of the main parachute 11, the brake cable 13 receives tension and its direction is maintained in a specified rearward direction, so that the water will not be sucked into the water intake of the pump jet propulsor 26 and will not become entangled in the internal screw propeller.

[0038] 9 and 10, reference numeral 27 denotes a drogue cable storage cover. The drogue cable storage cover 27 is cylindrical and attached to the rear of the similarly cylindrical main parachute storage cover 28, and is configured to separate from the main parachute storage cover 28 together with the secondary weight 9 due to the extension force (force acting in the fore-aft direction of the underwater vehicle 4) after the drogue chute 8 is pulled out of the external launch tube 3. The secondary weight 9 is stored inside the drogue cable storage cover 27, as shown in the lower left of Figure 5.

[0039] The main parachute storage cover 28 shown in Figures 9, 10(a) and 10(b) is attached to the rear of the underwater vehicle 4 and is structured to separate from the underwater vehicle 4 together with the main weight 12 due to the deployment force of the main parachute 11 after it opens. In addition, a main parachute storage section 29 is stored inside the main parachute storage cover 28 together with the main weight 12, as shown in Figure 11(a). That is, the main parachute storage section 29 is a hollow cylindrical portion inside the main weight 12, and stores the main parachute 11 before it opens. The main parachute 11 can be pulled out (rearward) of the external launch tube 3 by the tension it receives from the drogue cable 10 due to the resistance generated by the drogue chute 8, and then opened. The specific configuration for applying a braking force to the underwater vehicle 4 to separate from the underwater mother ship 1 is not limited to the method of pulling out the main parachute 11 by the drogue chute 8, but may use other means for pulling out the main parachute 11, or may apply a braking force to the underwater vehicle 4 using another method instead of the main parachute 11.

[0040] In FIG. 9, reference numeral 30 denotes a brake cable cutting control unit. This brake cable cutting control unit 30 is equipped inside each underwater vehicle 4, and has the role of cutting off the brake cable 13 after the underwater vehicle 4 is pulled backward by the tension acting from the brake cable 13 and decelerated by the main parachute 11 and separated from the underwater mother ship 1 to a predetermined distance, thereby enabling the underwater vehicle 4 to travel independently.

[0041] The configuration of the brake cable cutting control section 30 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 12, reference numeral 31 denotes an attitude gyro that detects the attitude of the underwater vehicle 4 . This attitude gyro 31 is installed inside the brake cable cutting control unit 30 mounted inside the underwater vehicle 4, and outputs angle data of the three-dimensional attitude of the underwater vehicle 4 to a microprocessor 33 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) in the brake cable cutting control unit 30. In FIG. 12, reference numeral 32 denotes an accelerometer for detecting acceleration. This accelerometer 32 is installed inside the brake cable cutting control unit 30 attached inside the underwater vehicle 4 , and outputs acceleration data for each three-dimensional attitude of the underwater vehicle 4 to the microprocessor 33 . This microprocessor 33 receives attitude data from the attitude gyro 31, acceleration data from the accelerometer 32, and timing information from a timer clock 34, and performs the processing described later in FIG. 13 based on the input data and outputs a brake cable cutting signal to a brake cable cutter 35. The timer clock 34 outputs a timer interrupt signal at a predetermined period to the attitude gyro 31, the accelerometer 32, and the microprocessor 33, and controls the attitude data output of the attitude gyro 31, the acceleration data output of the accelerometer 32, and the processing period (processing timing) of the microprocessor 33. The brake cable cutter 35 receives a brake cable cutting signal output from the microprocessor 33 and cuts the brake cable 13 .

[0042] The process executed by the microprocessor 33 will now be described with reference to FIG. [Waiting stage] The step indicated by the reference numeral 36 indicates a timer interrupt monitoring process. The timer interrupt monitoring process in step 36 waits for a timer interrupt input from the timer clock 34 . The step indicated by the reference numeral 37 indicates a timer interrupt entry determination process. In the timer interruption determination process in step 37, the process waits for a determination that an interruption process command has been input from the timer clock 34, and then proceeds to the next determination stage in step 38.

[0043] [Judgment stage] The step indicated by the reference numeral 38 indicates a posture data input process. In the attitude data input process in step 38, three-dimensional attitude data is input from the attitude gyro 31. The step indicated by the reference numeral 39 indicates an acceleration data input process. In the acceleration data input process in step 39, three-dimensional acceleration data for each posture is input from the accelerometer 32. The step indicated by the reference numeral 40 indicates a posture data determination process. The attitude data determination process in step 40 proceeds to the next step when the timing at which the underwater vehicle 4 was launched (exited from the external launch tube 3) is detected by the attitude data exceeding a predetermined threshold value in a specific direction, for example, the direction of gravity or the direction of travel. If not detected, the process returns to the standby step in step 36. The step indicated by the reference numeral 41 indicates an acceleration data determination process. In the acceleration data judgment process in step 41, if the acceleration data in a specific direction, for example the direction of gravity or the direction of travel, exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the timing at which the underwater vehicle 4 was launched (exited from the external launch tube 3) is detected, and the process proceeds to the next step. If not detected, the process returns to step 36, which is the waiting stage. The step indicated by the reference numeral 42 indicates a deceleration separation distance calculation process. The deceleration movement distance calculation process in step 42 calculates the distance separated based on the speed difference that occurs between the underwater vehicle 4, which is slowing down as it is pulled by the braking cable 13, and the underwater mother ship 1, which is traveling at a constant speed, due to this deceleration, using attitude data, acceleration data and time elapsed information obtained by timer interruption. The step indicated by the reference numeral 43 indicates a deceleration separation distance determination process. In the deceleration separation distance determination process in step 43, if the result of the deceleration separation distance calculation process in step 42 reaches or exceeds a threshold value, the process proceeds to step 44 in the disconnection stage. If the threshold value is not reached and the distance is not greater than the predetermined distance, the process returns to step 36 in the waiting stage.

[0044] [Cutting stage] Reference numeral 44 denotes a brake cable disconnection signal output process. In the disconnection signal output process in step 44 , the microprocessor 33 outputs a brake cable disconnection signal to the brake cable cutter 35 , and the brake cable 13 is disconnected.

[0045] The direction detected by the attitude gyro 31 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 14, reference numeral 45 indicates the vertical direction with respect to the attitude gyro 31 . In FIG. 14, reference numeral 46 indicates the east-west direction with respect to the attitude gyro 31 . In FIG. 14, reference numeral 47 indicates the north-south direction with respect to the attitude gyro 31 . In FIG. 14, reference numeral 48 indicates the direction of the X-axis of the attitude detected by the attitude gyro 31 . The X-axis of this direction 48 corresponds to the left-right direction of the underwater vehicle 4 . In FIG. 14, reference numeral 49 indicates the direction of the Y axis of the attitude detected by the attitude gyro 31 . The Y axis of this direction 49 corresponds to the fore-aft direction of the underwater vehicle 4 . In FIG. 14, reference numeral 50 indicates the direction of the Z axis of the attitude detected by the attitude gyro 31 . The Z axis of this direction 50 corresponds to the up-down direction of the underwater vehicle 4 . That is, the attitude gyro 31 detects the attitude of the underwater vehicle 4 from the tilt angles of each of the axes in the left-right direction 48, the front-back direction 49, and the up-down direction 50 of the underwater vehicle 4, based on the vertical direction 45 relative to the horizontal plane, the east-west direction 46, and the north-south direction 47 on the horizontal plane.

[0046] Next, the action of the underwater vehicle continuous multiple launching device according to the first embodiment configured as above, and the operation based on this action, will be described with reference to Figs. FIG. 15 shows the operation of the underwater vehicle continuous multiple launching device in the form of a flow chart, so the operation will be described with reference to FIG. (Injection preparation phase) Step 60 The underwater mother ship 1 is decelerated to a speed suitable for launching the underwater vehicle 4. Here, the reason for slowing down the underwater mother ship 1 is that, as shown in FIG. 2, since the external launch tube bundle 2 is mounted on the upper part of the hull of the underwater mother ship 1, there is not enough time for the drogue chute 8 and main parachute 11 to sink a sufficient distance and separate immediately after the underwater vehicle 4 is launched, in order to prevent an accident in which the drogue chute 8 and main parachute 11 get entangled in the screw propeller 5. Step 61 As shown in FIG. 6, when the rear door rotation motor 16 is driven, the rear door 14 of the external launch tube bundle 2 rotates around the rear door rotation shaft 15 to open. Step 62 As shown in FIG. 5, the underwater mother ship 1 is tilted toward either the left or right side of the external launch tube bundle 2. The reason for tilting the underwater mother ship 1 in this manner is to prevent the launched underwater vehicle 4 or the braking cable 13 connected thereto from contacting or becoming entangled with the screw propeller 5 at the rear of the underwater mother ship 1 when the external launch tube bundle 2 is mounted on the upper part of the underwater mother ship 1. The operation for tilting the attitude of the underwater mother ship 1 is performed by adjusting the force acting on the left and right external hydrofoils (not shown) of the underwater mother ship 1, adjusting the center of gravity by moving ballast, etc.

[0047] (Injection execution phase) Step 63 As shown in FIG. 6(a), the water injection valve 20 is opened to allow seawater to flow into the outer launch tube 3, thereby equalizing the water pressure inside and outside the tube. Step 64 As shown in FIG. 6(a), the outer launch tube door rotation motor 19 is operated to open the outer launch tube door 17. Step 65 As shown in Fig. 4, the drogue chute 8 opens due to the water current. When the drogue chute 8 opens, the secondary weight 9 and the drogue cable 10 wound around the secondary weight 9 are pulled out from the external launch tube 3 by the resistance of the water current, and the drogue chute 8 sinks vertically without getting entangled with the screw propeller 5 of the underwater mother ship 1 due to the gravity acting on the secondary weight 9. Step 66 As shown in Fig. 4, when the drogue cable 10 is pulled by the drogue chute 8 and entirely withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3, the main parachute 11 connected to the drogue cable 10 is withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3 and opens due to the resistance of the water. When the main parachute 11 opens in this manner, the main weight 12 connected to the main parachute 11 is withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3, and the main parachute 11 sinks vertically without getting entangled in the screw propeller 5 due to the gravity acting on the main weight 12, and at the same time, the brake cable 13 wound around and stored around the outer periphery of the main weight 12 is withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3. At this time, when the underwater vehicle 4 is launched from the starboard-side external launch tube 3, the underwater mother ship 1 is steered so that it moves forward while turning to the right, so that the stern (near the screw propeller 5) of the underwater mother ship 1 swings to the port side, thereby reducing the probability of the underwater vehicle 4 coming into contact with the underwater mother ship 1. Similarly, when the underwater vehicle 4 is launched from the port-side external launch tube 3, the underwater mother ship 1 is steered so that it moves forward while turning to the left, thereby reducing the probability of the underwater vehicle 4 coming into contact with the underwater mother ship 1. Step 67 4, when the brake cables 13 are all withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3, the underwater vehicle 4 connected to the brake cables 13 is subsequently withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3. After being separated from the advancing underwater mother ship 1, the underwater vehicle 4 withdrawn out of the external launch tube 3 loses the inertial kinetic energy it had when it separated from the underwater mother ship 1 due to the resistance of the water caused by the opening of the main parachute 11, decelerating, and sinks without coming into contact with the screw propeller 5 due to the gravity acting on the main weight 12.

[0048] (Autonomous navigation phase) After the underwater vehicle 4 is separated from the underwater mother ship 1, the brake cable cutting control unit 30 built into the underwater vehicle 4 inputs attitude data, acceleration data and a timer interrupt signal from the attitude gyro 31, accelerometer 32 and timer clock 34 to the microprocessor 33, as shown in Figure 12.

[0049] The processing contents executed by the microprocessor 33 when the underwater vehicle 4 is autonomously traveling will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. (Waiting stage) The timer interrupt monitoring process in step 36 is a process in which the microprocessor 33 waits for an input of an interrupt signal from the timer clock 34. The timer clock 34 inputs an interrupt signal to the microprocessor 33 at a period of, for example, 20 msec (20 milliseconds). The input period of this timer interrupt signal is set to match the data update period of the attitude gyro 31 and the accelerometer 32.

[0050] (Judgment stage) If a timer interrupt signal is detected by the timer interrupt determination process of step 37, attitude data is input from the attitude gyro 31 by an attitude data input process of step 38, and acceleration data is input from the accelerometer 32 by an acceleration data input process of step 39. In the attitude data determination process of step 38, the attitude data input from the attitude gyro 31 is used to detect that the rear of the underwater vehicle 4 has been pulled downward by the braking cable 13, and the angle (pitch angle) between the vertical direction 42 and the attitude Y axis 49 (fore-aft direction) shown in Figure 14 is calculated. If the calculated pitch angle is greater than a certain threshold value in the front upward (rear downward) direction, it is determined that the underwater vehicle 4 has been launched, and the process proceeds to step 41, which is an acceleration data determination process. In the acceleration data determination process of step 41, the acceleration data input from the accelerometer 32 is used to determine whether the acceleration of the attitude Y-axis (forward / backward direction) 49 is greater than a certain threshold in the deceleration direction. If the acceleration in the attitude Y-axis 49 direction exceeds a certain threshold in the deceleration direction, it is determined that the underwater vehicle 4 has been launched, and the process proceeds to the deceleration separation distance calculation process of step 42. In the deceleration separation distance calculation process in step 42, the separation distance between the underwater mother ship 1 and the underwater vehicle 4 is calculated for each timer interrupt period using the following equation (1). Deceleration separation distance L=L'+Y1+Y2+Y3+...+YN (1) formula Where: L=Deceleration separation distance (m) L' = previous deceleration separation distance (m) Y1 = Deceleration acceleration in the Y-axis direction of the posture in the first cycle (m / interrupt signal input cycle squared) Y2 = Deceleration acceleration in the Y-axis direction of the posture in the second cycle (m / interrupt signal input cycle squared) Y3 = Deceleration acceleration in the Y-axis direction of the posture in the third cycle (m / interrupt signal input cycle squared) YN = Deceleration acceleration in the Y-axis direction of the posture at the Nth cycle (m / interrupt signal input cycle squared) The separation distance between the underwater mother ship 1 and the underwater vehicle 4 is: This is roughly the same as the forward speed (m / s) of the underwater mother ship 1 multiplied by the elapsed time after launch (s), but as a calculation formula by which the underwater vehicle 4 independently calculates the separation distance, a roughly equivalent approximation can also be obtained by adding the aforementioned deceleration acceleration (m / s).

[0051] If it is determined in the deceleration distance determination process of step 43 that the deceleration distance is greater than a certain threshold value, the process proceeds to the cutting stage. (Cutting stage) If the result of the judgment in step 43 is that the deceleration separation distance is greater than a certain threshold value, it is judged that the underwater vehicle 4 shown in Figure 2 has separated from the underwater mother ship 1 to a safe distance where there is no possibility of collision, and a brake cable cutting signal is output to the brake cable cutter 35 by the brake cable cutting signal output processing in step 44. When a brake cable cutting signal is input, the brake cable cutter 35 performs a predetermined cutting operation to cut the brake cable 13 . With the braking cable 13 thus cut, the underwater vehicle 4 begins autonomous navigation by rotating the screw propeller inside the pump jet propeller 26 shown in Figure 10, and the start of this autonomous navigation completes the launch of the underwater vehicle 4.

[0052] After the underwater vehicle 4 has started autonomous traveling in this manner, the underwater mother ship 1 closes the external launch tube door 17. When the underwater mother ship 1 guides the underwater vehicle 4 by wire after launch, the underwater vehicle 4 is guided by wire after launch using a cable such as an optical fiber connected through the gap 25 that remains secured even after launch. When launching an underwater vehicle 4 following the launch of one underwater vehicle 4, the process returns to the launch execution phase and repeats the steps from step 63 onwards, which open the water inlet valve of the next (other) external launch tube door 3. In addition, when the external launch tube bundles 2 are attached to both the port and starboard sides of the underwater mother ship 1 and an underwater vehicle 4 is to be launched from the external launch tube bundle 2 on the side opposite the side on which launch has been completed, the process returns to the launch preparation phase and repeats the step of opening the rear door of the external launch tube bundle in step 61. It should be noted that known techniques for releasing the connection between a parachute and an underwater vehicle, such as a mechanism for electrically controlling a separation mechanism for a parachute that has failed to open, can be applied to the braking cable cutter 35. For example, when an underwater vehicle is dropped from the sky into the sea by a fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft, a technique can be applied in which the dropped underwater vehicle is slowed down by the parachute while it lands on the water, and then the parachute, which creates resistance while the underwater vehicle is traveling, is separated. In addition, when launching multiple underwater vehicles 4, it is desirable to control the timing of launch and the timing of cutting the brake cables 13 in order to avoid collisions or interference between the multiple launched underwater vehicles 4 and their main parachutes 11 and brake cables 13, for example by providing a time difference between launch from one external launch tube 3 and launch from another external launch tube 3, or by launching the underwater vehicles 4 simultaneously from the external launch tube 3 located farthest from one external launch tube 3.

[0053] The underwater vehicle launching device of the first embodiment performs the above steps. When the underwater vehicle 4 is launched from the underwater mother ship 1, it is launched toward the rear of the underwater mother ship 1. As a method of obtaining kinetic energy for launching the underwater vehicle 4 from the underwater mother ship 1, a parachute that opens underwater is used, and the water resistance force generated by the opening of the parachute underwater is used. After the underwater vehicle 4 has separated from the underwater mother ship 1 to an appropriate distance (safety distance), the braking cable 13 connected to the main parachute 11 used to launch the underwater vehicle 4 is cut, and autonomous navigation begins. In order to launch the underwater vehicle 4 rearward from the existing underwater mother ship 1, a number of external launch tubes 3 housing the underwater vehicle 4 are additionally equipped to the underwater mother ship 1. By bundling and installing the external launch tubes 3 in an external launch tube bundle 2 equipped on the outside of the hull of the underwater mother ship 1, the number of launch tubes for the underwater vehicles that can be installed on the underwater mother ship 1 can be increased by at least 20 to 40.

[0054] That is, the underwater vehicle launching device of the first embodiment is - An external launch tube bundle 2 consisting of external launch tubes 3 each having an underwater vehicle 4 built in is additionally equipped to the underwater mother ship 1. The drogue cable 10 and the brake cable 13 for connecting the drogue chute 8, which pulls out the underwater vehicle 4 from the external launch tube 3, and the main parachute 11 and other braking parts 6 are not entangled in the screw propeller 5 of the underwater mother ship 1. After the underwater vehicle 4 is launched rearward from the underwater mother ship 1, and when the underwater mother ship 1 and the underwater vehicle 4 are separated by an appropriate distance, the underwater vehicle 4 cuts the cable connecting it to the braking unit 6 and begins autonomous navigation. These technical elements can be summarized as follows, and these technical elements make it possible to realize a device that can silently and continuously launch a large number of underwater vehicles backwards.

[0055] By combining these technical elements, the underwater vehicle launching device of the first embodiment achieves the effects described below. The first effect is that by adding an external launch tube bundle to an underwater mother ship that has no existing underwater vehicle launch equipment or only a small number of launch equipment, the number of underwater vehicles that can be continuously launched from a single underwater mother ship can be increased to 20 to 40 or more, as long as the payload weight of the underwater mother ship and the space outside the pressure hull allow. The second effect is that since compressed air or high-pressure water is not released when the underwater vehicle is launched from the underwater mother ship, the noise generated when the underwater vehicle is launched from the underwater mother ship can be reduced to a minimum. The third effect is that since compressed air or high-pressure water is not used when launching the underwater vehicle from the underwater mother ship, the underwater vehicle can be launched from the underwater mother ship even if the water pressure outside the hull is higher than the compressed air or high-pressure water when launching the underwater vehicle from the underwater mother ship. In other words, the depth to which the underwater vehicle can be launched from the underwater mother ship can be increased as long as the strength of the pressure hull of the underwater mother ship allows.

[0056] 16(a) and (b) show a second embodiment of the present invention. The underwater mother ship 1A according to the second embodiment has a facility for docking with a deep submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV) intended for salvaging a sunken ship, for example. This deep-sea rescue boat 80 is generally configured to dock with an access hatch (not shown) installed on the upper deck of the underwater mother ship 1A, and so in order not to interfere with the docking of the deep-sea rescue boat 80, it is equipped with storage sections (external launch tube bundles) 2 on the port and starboard sides that are lower than the upper deck of the hull. Even when the storage sections 2 are arranged in this way, they are arranged with sufficient spacing in mind so as not to interfere with the reception of sound waves by the side sonar array 7A installed on the side of the hull.

[0057] In the embodiment of the present application, an apparatus for launching a number of underwater vehicles from an underwater mother ship and a method thereof have been described, but the objects launched from the underwater mother ship are not limited to underwater vehicles. For example, it is possible to silently launch underwater installations that do not have a self-propelling function and are fixed in water, which means that a larger number of underwater installations can be launched by a single underwater vehicle. Furthermore, the number and arrangement of the external launch tubes that make up the external launch tube bundle are not limited to those in the embodiment, and it goes without saying that a different number and arrangement may be used from the standpoint of the performance required of the launch device and the avoidance of interference with the underwater vehicle after launch and collision with the mother ship.

[0058] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design modifications and the like are also included within the scope of the present invention that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] The present invention may be utilized for launching an underwater vehicle from a mother ship. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1, 1A (underwater) mother ship 2. Storage section (external launch tube bundle) 3 External Launch Tube 4 Underwater vehicle 5 Screw Propeller 6 Braking part 7A Side Sonar Array 7B Forward Sonar Array 8 Drogue Shoot 9. Sub-weight 10 Drogue Cable 11 Main Parachute 12 Main weight 13 Braking cable 14 Rear door 15 Rear door pivot 16 Rear door rotation motor 16a Transmission Mechanism 17 External launch tube door 18 External launch tube door rotation axis 19 External revolving door rotation motor 20 Water inlet valve 21 Drain hole 22 Pedestal 23 External launch tube door bearing 24 Watertight rubber ring 25 Gap 26 Pump jet propulsion unit 27 Drogue cable storage cover 28 Main parachute storage compartment cover 30 Brake cable cutting control section 31 Attitude Gyro 32 Accelerometer 33 Microprocessor 34 Timer Clock 35 Brake cable cutter

Claims

1. A mother ship having a pressure hull and capable of running underwater; a storage section attached to the outside of the pressure hull of the mother ship and configured to store a plurality of underwater vehicles in a connectable and detachable manner; a braking unit that applies resistance to the underwater vehicle stored in the storage unit in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the mother ship; An underwater vehicle launch device having the above structure.

2. The storage section is provided on the upper part of the mother ship, 2. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 1.

3. The braking unit is provided on the underwater vehicle and opens due to resistance from a fluid.

2. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 1.

4. The braking unit includes an auxiliary braking unit that pulls the braking unit out of the mother ship as the mother ship advances.

2. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 1.

5. The braking unit is connected to the underwater vehicle by a cable so as to be connectable and detachable.

2. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 1.

6. A control unit for switching between connection and disconnection of the cable and the brake unit is provided.

6. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 5.

7. The storage section is arranged in parallel with the mother ship and has a space passing through in a direction along the mother ship.

2. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 1.

8. The storage section is provided with a door capable of opening and closing the space at at least one of the front end and rear end in the traveling direction of the mother ship.

8. An underwater vehicle launching device according to claim 7.

9. a step of storing a plurality of underwater vehicles in an outer side of a pressure hull of a mother ship capable of traveling underwater, the mother ship having a pressure hull, so as to be connectable and detachable to the outer side of the pressure hull; a step of separating the plurality of underwater vehicles from the mother ship by applying resistance to the plurality of underwater vehicles in a direction opposite to a traveling direction of the mother ship; A method for launching an underwater vehicle comprising the steps of:

10. and a step of separating, under a predetermined condition, a member that provides resistance to the underwater vehicle that has been detached from the mother ship from the underwater vehicle. The method for launching an underwater vehicle according to claim 9.

Images