Babcock Pitches Remora Vehicle Submarine Integration System to ROK Navy

Babcock Korea presented its Remora Vehicle Submarine Integration System at the YIDEX 2024 event held last month in South Korea, showcasing a solution designed to enhance the operational capabilities of submarines.

The Remora Vehicle Submarine Integration System is aimed at bolstering Korean submarine capabilities through the provision of an extra-large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) handling system. Nearing completion for the Royal Navy, the Remora is engineered to facilitate the flexible deployment and retrieval of AUVs. Drawing inspiration from its namesake, the Remora fish, which clings to boats, sharks, and whales, this system features a module that can carry over 30 tons and can be mounted on existing submarines without impairing their performance. This technology enables AUVs to dock with the mothership during operations.

Key features of the Remora system include various installation options to minimize interference with other submarine systems, a low-profile design to reduce detection risk during docking and retrieval, and an umbilical connection for rapid charging and direct mission data transfer. The system supports deployment and retrieval without requiring the mothership to halt its maneuvers and allows for the dry transfer of divers and special operations forces to the AUV.

Babcock emphasized the advantages of operating large-scale, submarine-deployable AUVs, which can be transported from shipping containers and large cargo aircraft such as the C-17 via air drops, accommodating crews and payloads.

Although initially developed for the Royal Navy, the Remora's design allows integration with a variety of AUVs, including those planned for future use by the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy).