Submarine towed payload module.

[eshelon]

Towed Modules could provide:
> Hundreds of Cruise or ballistic missiles
> A sensor hub for acoustic and electronic sensors
> A habitat for SEAL or other special forces
> A refueling station for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
(from http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_8/future_force.html)

"Towed Payload Module study 1998" and "Multi-Mission Module Study 2002"
More info -> Stored Undersea Strike Module/Underwater Strike Module

Is Darpa Upward Falling Payload a new approach to this idea?

 

[sferrin]

Yikes!

 

[taalismn]

Great shades of Frank Herbert's Dragon in the Sea(aka Under Pressure) with the 'subtugs' hauling submarine barges of pirated oil.

 

[jemhouston]

I was thinking of something out of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

 

[Jemiba]

Probably ok for sensors, or fuel/refuelling equipment. Buttow lines are always a weak link, I think, and
susceptible to breakage. And judging how long it sometimes took for a tug to get back a ship, that had
been lost due to a damaged tow rope and keeping in mind, that here we are talking about a payload
towed under the sea surface, I'm not sure, that using such a barge for cruise missiles or SLBM would
really be a good idea. For personnel it may be ok, could give them some additional holidays !

 

[Jeff Bird]

Looks a lot like the Rocket U-boat idea from WWII.

 

[eshelon]

Looks a lot like the Rocket U-boat idea from WWII.

Many unconventional ideas never dies.

 

[blackstar]

That first image, showing the tow-line over the undersea mountains, is a very bad way to make a case for these things. Anybody looking at that would say "Er... nope!"

 

[taalismn]

That first image, showing the tow-line over the undersea mountains, is a very bad way to make a case for these things. Anybody looking at that would say "Er... nope!"

It's not a tow, it's an anchor. :-[

 

[Jemiba]

Well, that jagged undersea terrain just looks better on such drawings, not to be taken literally !
What I'm not sure about, is the propulsion unit of this barge. Where does the energy come from ?
Probably the tow line would double as power cord?
The article mentions, that the towed barge should be placed on the sea bed, once it has arrived in the
area of operation. Is ELF suitable for a secure data link to an object in the deep ? What other ways of
safe communication could be used ?

 

[eshelon]

What other ways of safe communication could be used ?

active sonar LPI waveforms

 

[Jeff Bird]

Lasers. Here's are a couple of links.

From Nav-tech

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