The pace of change in underwater warfare has become palpable. There are signs that the long-promised dawn of underwater robots is upon us.
Barely a month after China revealed its first large underwater robot, another country has stepped into the arena with an even more ambitious project: a submarine-hunting unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). That county may not be the one you are expecting.
The South Korean Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (ASWUUV) appears larger ... [+]
South Korean manufacturer Hanwha Systems unveiled the ASWUUV (Anti-Submarine Warfare Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) in a defense show on October 22. It is designed to prowl the ocean, at depth of up to 1,000 feet, hunting for enemy submarines. Once detected, it will alert friendly forces so the prey can be trapped and destroyed. It is not yet in production but is expected to hit the water next year.
The ASWUUV will be a high-tech vehicle. As well as powerful sonar to listen for enemy subs, it will be powered by an innovative fuel-cell system. This is like a miniature version of the Air Independent Power (AIP) found on some of the latest submarines. This contrasts to the batteries used on most underwater vehicles.
Based on the model and 'large displacement' label it has been given, the ASWUUV appears to be about 30 feet long and 5 feet across. However large it turns out to be, it is unlikely to be in the same league as the U.S. Navy's planned Orca extra-large UUV. Those will be around 85 feet long. But it is likely larger than existing U.S. Navy ‘large displacement’ UUVs and the closest Chinese equivalent. Few if any other Navies are even in the game, and none of the designs are optimized for anti-submarine warfare in the way that the ASWUUV is.
South Korea has a natural focus on anti-submarine warfare because its longstanding foe, North Korea, has one of the largest submarine fleets in the world, possibly the largest, with around 70 vessels. While none are particularly modern they have repeatedly demonstrated their potency. In 2010 a suspected North Korean Yono Class midget submarine sank a South Korean warship with a torpedo. The victim, ROKS Cheonan, was broken in half, sinking with the loss of 46 lives.
On several other occasions North Korean submarines have been detected in South Korean waters. They are used to drop off agents or conduct reconnaissance.
In 1996 a North Korean sub grounded itself on rocks off the South Korean coast while inserting agents. In the 49-day manhunt which followed 16 South Koreans died. All but two of the North Korean crew died, many murdered by their own side.
Two years later another North Korean sub got into trouble while on a covert mission off the south. All 9 people aboard died, again with some of them being murdered by their own side.
South Korea may also be looking towards China which is modernizing its massive navy at an impressive rate. China has a massive fleet of submarines which are increasingly potent.
