As with fighter jets, the deployment of (nuclear) submarine operations in the future will also put forward a 'loyal wingman,' namely an autonomous underwater drone or Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV), which will be an extension of the submarine eye.
UUV is certainly closely integrated with the mother (submarine), including how the launch and recovery techniques on the submarine will be very crucial in supporting silent and undetected underwater operations.
Departing from the need for future military operations, at the Army 2022 event in Moscow, the Rubin Design Bureau has released what is called Surrogate-W (Wingman). Dmitry Semenov, Rubin Chief Designer of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles said, “Surrogate-W is designed to provide operational freedom for manned submarines, particularly by maintaining and restoring their stealth capabilities. The Wingman (UUV) will handle tasks that can endanger the existence of the submarine, such as communications, active sonar use, reconnaissance, and others."
Surrogate can appear as a smart gateway between the submarine and the atmosphere (surface air), ensuring the exchange of confidential data and improved navigation. Once Surrogate receives data from the submarine, this UUV can transfer it to the satellite. Data can be sent immediately or after a certain period of time or when the UUV reaches a predetermined place. Interaction with the seabed network system can be regulated in a similar way.
Acoustic and non-acoustic search systems allow the Surrogate Wingman to independently search for surface ships and submarines in a given area or along a vector. Unlike submarines, the Surrogate can acquire targets using open methods, such as active sonar, as it is more than difficult for an opponent to locate and hit the UUV due to its size and maneuverability.
Another notable feature of Surrogate-W is the ability to mimic a submarine. This wingman can lure the opponent's strength with the aim of diverting attention to the safety of the submarine. Additionally Surrogate-W can be used as a target during anti-submarine drills, lowering costs and lightening (manned) submarines for their operational duties.
Rubin claims the onboard acoustic countermeasures allow Surrogate-W to emulate fairly complex tactical episodes. All of these capabilities can be used for the testing and evaluation of new anti-submarine warfare systems, from sensors to weapons.
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| Comparison between the Arcturus and UUV Surrogate-W submarines |
In simulations, Surrogate-W is capable of reconnaissance under the dense Arctic ice sheet and mine hunting in hazardous areas. It is much faster and safer to obtain information through UUVs than by surveying an area with a manned submarine onboard system.
Technically, Surrogate-W is powered by a lithium ion battery that can take it sailing up to 800 miles (1,287 km). Surrogate-W is included in the LUUV (Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) category, because Surrogate-W has a length of 17 meters and is able to dive to a depth of 600 meters.
Of course the question is, what type of submarine will later become the 'headquarters' of Surrogate-W. Rubin seems to have provided the answer, in the form of a next-generation stealth nuclear submarine called Arcturus.
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| Arcturus – Stealth Submarine Design from Rubin |
From the information we get, Arcturus is said to have a weight of 20 percent lighter than current nuclear submarines. Arcturus has a length of 134 meters, a width of 15.7 meters and a crew of 100 personnel. In particular, the Arcturus is equipped with a hatch for the entry and exit of Surrogate-W.
The Rubin Design Bureau is a big name in the submarine design world, headquartered in St. Petersburg, the bureau has designed 1065 conventional and nuclear submarines in the last 120 years.
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