U.S. Navy Advances Torpedo Tube-Launched and Recovered UUV Capability

The U.S. Navy plans to deploy torpedo tube-launched and recovered unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) in the coming year, following successful tests conducted by crews from the USS Delaware (SSN-791).

The Virginia-class attack submarine achieved the first end-to-end submarine torpedo tube launch and recovery of a REMUS medium UUV using the Yellow Moray system. This marks the second successful test of submarines launching and recovering UUVs through torpedo tubes, with a similar test conducted by Submarine Force Pacific.

The Navy's interest in this capability arises from operational challenges associated with using drydeck shelters and divers for launch and recovery, a method limited to specific submarines. The recent tests pave the way for the Navy's plan to deploy a torpedo tube-launched and recovered medium UUV next year.

One system under development for this capability is the U.S. Navy's Razorback, initially based on the REMUS 600 but constrained to launch from dry deck shelters. An industry team consisting of Leidos and L3Harris Technologies is working on a new version of Razorback that can be easily launched and recovered using torpedo tubes.

Simultaneously, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is developing the Shock and Fire Enclosure Capsule (SAFECAP), a protective capsule designed to enhance safety during UUV launch and recovery. SAFECAP monitors the health of the UUV's lithium-ion batteries and, in the event of a high-energy casualty, contains and mitigates potential dangers.

The Royal Swedish Navy currently stands as the only service globally with operational capabilities for retrieving torpedo-shaped UUVs via torpedo tubes, utilizing Saab's SubROV system since 2019.