US 11,987,333 B2
Modular underwater vehicle
Robert W. Lautrup, Oakton, VA (US); and Anthony C. Mulligan, Sahuarita, AZ (US)
Filed by Robert W. Lautrup, Oakton, VA (US); and Anthony C. Mulligan, Sahuarita, AZ (US)
Filed on Apr. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/858,446.
Prior Publication US 2021/0331774 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. B63G 8/04 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01); B63G 8/08 (2006.01); B63G 8/28 (2006.01); G01C 21/16 (2006.01); G01S 15/93 (2020.01); G01S 19/01 (2010.01); G01S 19/42 (2010.01)
CPC B63G 8/04 (2013.01) [B63G 8/001 (2013.01); B63G 8/08 (2013.01); B63G 8/28 (2013.01); G01C 21/16 (2013.01); G01S 15/93 (2013.01); G01S 19/015 (2013.01); G01S 19/42 (2013.01); B63G 2008/004 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A modular underwater vehicle comprising:
a hull comprising a plurality of modular sections arranged along a lengthwise direction extending from a bow portion of the hull toward a stern portion of the hull, the hull defining an interior housing;
a propulsor coupled to a stern of the hull;
a plurality of control surfaces coupled to the propulsor or the stern of the hull; and
a power supply, a processor, and a nonvolatile memory device in the interior housing,
wherein the nonvolatile memory device has instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to supply power from the power supply to drive the propulsor and to actuate the plurality of control surfaces,
wherein a transverse cross-sectional shape of the hull changes along a length thereof, and the bow portion has an ellipsoidal shape and the stern portion has a paraboloidal shape,
wherein the propulsor and the plurality of control surfaces are coupled to and arranged aft of an aft-most modular section of the plurality of modular sections,
wherein at least one modular section of the plurality of modular sections is detachable and removable from the hull so as to be replaceable with one or more other modular sections, and
wherein the at least one modular section comprises at least one module selectable from:
a warhead module configured to search for, target and attack a vessel;
an exercise module configured to enable the modular underwater vehicle to perform tests;
a target simulator module configured to emit a sound imitating an acoustic signature of a target vessel; and
a decoy module configured to emit a sound imitating an acoustic signature of a launch vessel, and
the at least one module is arranged aft of a forwardmost modular section of the plurality of modular sections.