Underwater vehicle harpsichord 2p pm. Uninhabited underwater vehicles of the Harpsichord family. Marine robots for the Arctic

To solve some problems, various remotely controlled systems with a set of necessary equipment can be used. Thus, autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles can be used to explore the seabed and study bottom objects. Systems of this class are actively being developed by domestic enterprises. In recent years, several similar complexes have been created by several organizations. Two of them belong to the family called "Harpsichord".

AUV "Harpsichord-1R"

The first representative of the new family was the Harpsichord-1R device. According to available data, the autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle "Harpsichord-1R" was developed by the Institute of Marine Technology Problems of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPMT FEB RAS, Vladivostok). The goal of the project was to create a special tool suitable for performing various tasks at different depths. The development was carried out both in the interests of scientific organizations and for the relevant structures of the military department. The project provided for the possibility of studying the environment and individual objects using a set of on-board equipment. The device received an automated control system with the ability to receive new commands from the control panel.

AUV "Harpsichord-1R" before launching into the water. Photo by IPMT FEB RAS / Imtp.febras.ru

Based on the requirements and expected features of the application, the authors of the project used some proven ideas and solutions. In particular, the appearance of the Harpsichord-1R product resembles a torpedo of slightly larger dimensions. All main units are placed inside a cylindrical body. The head part of the device is covered with a hemispherical fairing; in the stern there is a tapering unit on which the so-called. propulsion complex. The length of the Harpsichord-1R is 5.8 m, the body diameter is 900 mm. The mass of the device in the air is 2.5 tons.

The AUV "Harpsichord-1R" has a durable body that ensures the operation of all units at great depths. The design characteristics ensure diving to depths of up to 6 km. The device is equipped with four electric motors located on the columns of the rear part of the hull. Each of them rotates its own propeller. Available power units allow you to reach speeds of up to 1.5 m/s (2.9 knots). Rechargeable batteries provide a range of up to 300 km.

The underwater vehicle received an automated software control system. In preparation for immersion in the automation of the product, a program is loaded, according to which further work is carried out. In this case, it is possible to correct the loaded program. For this purpose, the control complex located on board the carrier vessel can use a hydroacoustic communication channel. After updating the program, the AUV “Harpsichord-1R” can immediately begin the required actions.

The device is being tested. Photo Svpressa.ru

On board the underwater vehicle there is a set of various equipment designed to examine surrounding objects and collect the necessary information. Side-scan sonars, an electromagnetic finder, a digital video camera with signal processing facilities, an acoustic profiler, as well as seawater temperature and electrical conductivity sensors are mounted in different parts of the durable hull.

The main means of monitoring the surrounding space, capable of operating in various conditions and used to detect various objects, is a side-scan hydroacoustic locator. It is possible to use high-frequency and low-frequency operating modes of the station. The low-frequency mode allows you to survey a band width of 800 m. When using high-frequency oscillations, the band width is reduced to 200 m.

Other on-board equipment allows you to make various measurements and determine environmental parameters. Bathymetric studies of reservoirs and their bottoms, acoustic sounding of bottom soil, or video recording of detected objects can also be performed. With the help of on-board equipment, “Harpsichord-1R” can both find and examine various objects located on the bottom. It is possible to study point and extended objects.

Control panel of the complex "Harpsichord-1R". Photo by IPMT FEB RAS / Imtp.febras.ru

The operation of the underwater vehicle is controlled using a remote control located on board the carrier vessel. The console equipment allows for preliminary preparation before a dive, including entering a work program, monitoring the operation of all systems, receiving some data, as well as adjusting the specified program and transmitting updated instructions to the device.

The AUV project "Harpsichord-1R" was developed in the middle of the last decade, and was soon brought to the assembly of experimental equipment with its subsequent testing. Later, the prototype was used in various operations, the purpose of which was to conduct research or search for certain objects. It is known that during testing the prototype dived in the Sea of Japan and also descended into the Kuril-Kamchatka deep-sea trench. Trial operation was carried out in the Arctic regions. Thus, in 2007, the Harpsichord-1R apparatus became part of the scientific equipment used by the Arctic 2007 polar expedition. The carrier of the complex was the nuclear icebreaker "Russia". Later, a new type of AUV was used in a search operation in the Sea of Okhotsk. The purpose of this work was to search for a sunken radioisotope source.

At the end of 2008, domestic media published some details of research work in the Arctic seas. The device's video camera allowed the operators to see various inhabitants of the seabed, some of which even specialists could not subsequently identify. However, the study of marine fauna was not the task of the complex operators.

An image of an object obtained using the Harpsichord-1R equipment. Photo by IPMT FEB RAS / Imtp.febras.ru

During the tests, the Harpsichord-1R complex confirmed the calculated characteristics, and in addition, improved some indicators. Thus, during one of the dives, a depth of 6083 m was reached. In 2008, the device passed state tests, based on the results of which it was recommended for full operation. According to various sources, to date, an autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle has been used several times for various studies in different seas.

AUV "Harpsichord-2R-PM"

Probably, based on the results of testing and operation of the Harpsichord-1R underwater vehicle, a decision was made to create a new system of this class, intended for operation by special structures of the navy. In 2009, the Ministry of Defense formed the requirements for the new AUV and selected a developer. On May 19, 2009, an agreement was signed between the military department and the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Equipment. To date, the new project has been brought to the stage of testing at sea.

The second project of an autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle was named “Harpsichord-2R-PM”. According to reports, the new development has the same goals and objectives as its predecessor. At the same time, the AUV of the second model should differ in slightly increased dimensions and a different composition of on-board equipment. Due to this, it becomes possible to increase the efficiency of search operations and studies of the seabed.

General view of the AUV "Harpsichord-2R-PM". Photo by Hisutton.com

There is some information about the design of the Harpsichord-2R-PM apparatus. According to these data, the main unit of the product is a rectangular frame designed for the installation of all major systems. Electronic equipment, a power plant, buoyancy units, etc. are mounted on it. At the stern there is also a propulsion system consisting of four engines with propellers. Protection from water is carried out using a durable housing. The hull has a cylindrical shape with streamlined bow and stern parts. A protrusion-superstructure of long length and low height is provided on the upper surface of the body.

The length of the Klavesin-2R-PM AUV reaches 6.5 m, the body diameter is 1 m. The weight is approximately 3.7 tons. The speed parameters of the device, according to various sources, are approximately equal to the characteristics of its predecessor. At the same time, the range was reduced to 50 km. The strength of the hull allows diving to depths of up to 6 km. A few months ago it was reported that the device was already able to dive to a depth of 500 m.

The exact composition of the onboard equipment of the new underwater vehicle is unknown. It was probably decided to maintain the general architecture of the previous project, but at the same time increase operational efficiency by using equipment of new models with improved characteristics. An increase in autonomy is also announced in comparison with the Klavesin-1R AUV. Such data may indicate the preservation of existing management principles, due to which work should be carried out according to a pre-drawn program with the possibility of adjusting it at any time.

To date, experimental equipment of the “Harpsichord-2R-PM” type has entered testing. The start of the inspections was preceded by the appearance of some documents revealing the details of the project. In particular, in February of this year, the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Transport announced a request for proposals for insuring experimental equipment of a new type. A month after this, it was planned to select a company that would insure two experimental underwater vehicles. The document also indicated that the construction of the equipment was carried out in St. Petersburg, and testing was planned in St. Petersburg and Crimea, on the Black Sea. The insured value of one AUV “Harpsichord-2R-PM” was determined at 300 million rubles.

At the beginning of June 2016, the management of the Rubin Central Design Bureau for MT spoke about the imminent completion of work on the new project. From the published data it follows that by now the prototypes have been tested and are being tested in the Black Sea. It was also noted that during this stage of testing, the Harpsichord-2R-PM will be able to reach a depth of about 500 m. Diving to great depths at the Black Sea test site used is simply impossible.

In the foreseeable future, industry and naval specialists will have to complete all the necessary work on the Harpsichord-2R-PM project. After this, the experimental equipment, having passed state tests, can be adopted by the navy. Previously, some information about the possible use of new technology appeared in the public domain. Autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles will be included in the onboard equipment of nuclear submarines modernized under Project 949AM. In addition, they will become a standard means of studying the situation of the special-purpose nuclear submarine BS-64 “Podmoskovye” of project 09787.

The development of promising autonomous underwater vehicles makes it possible to provide the fleet and scientific organizations with new complexes capable of conducting surveillance and reconnaissance in various areas of the World Ocean at different depths. It is possible to monitor the situation using hydroacoustic locators, as well as some other equipment. When approaching a minimum distance, new devices can use video cameras. An important advantage of new domestic developments is the ability to operate autonomously without constant control from the carrier.

Proposed architecture of the apparatus "Harpsichord-2R-PM". Figure Hisutton.com

To date, one of the devices of the Harpsichord family has passed all the necessary tests and has been recommended for full operation. Two prototypes of the Klavesin-2R-PM AUV are currently undergoing tests, which in the future will make it possible to determine their real future. If there are no major problems and the pace is maintained, testing could be completed within the next few months. Thanks to this, in the near future the navy will be able to receive new special equipment that will simplify the solution of some special tasks. However, due to the specific purpose of the new technology, the details of its operation will remain secret for a long time.

Based on materials from sites:
http://imtp.febras.ru/
http://ckb-rubin.ru/
http://i-mash.ru/
http://tass.ru/
http://hisutton.com/

In the near future, the creation of the uninhabited underwater vehicle "Harpsichord-2R-PM", intended for search operations and research, will be completed. This was reported by TASS General Director of the design bureau Igor Vilnit.

“The Harpsichord-2R-PM complex is being created, which has increased autonomy and immersion depth compared to the Juno complex. In addition to survey and search functions, it also solves the problems of scientific research studying the World Ocean in deep-sea areas,” said I. Vilnit in a conversation with a TASS correspondent.

The general director of the design bureau recalled that the Juno mobile autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle was presented at the exhibition of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

"Juno" / Photo: bastion-karpenko.ru

We are talking about a device designed to study the underwater situation, solve search problems and provide rescue operations, and work on the Arctic shelf.

"Juno" is designed for a depth of up to a thousand meters, its autonomy reaches six hours. The length of the device is 2.9 m, diameter is 0.2 m, weight is 80 kg.

Previously, I. Vilnit stated that the Russian Navy was also interested in the development.

According to open sources, earlier this year Rubin insured the construction of two Harpsichord-2R-PM devices. The insurance also covers testing of devices that must take place in St. Petersburg and Crimea.

reference Information

“The Central Design Bureau of Marine Equipment “Rubin” has announced a request for proposals for the insurance of two autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles “Klavesin-2R-PM”. The maximum contract price is 48 million rubles.

The Harpsichord-2R-PM devices will be insured for the following period:

carrying out shipbuilding and installation work (St. Petersburg, Marata St., 90)
conducting tests (St. Petersburg, Republic of Crimea, Black Sea)
transportation throughout Russia

The contract must cover the risks of death and damage due to errors in design, as well as during construction, launching, and sea trials. The contract for the carriage of a vessel must be concluded “with responsibility for all risks.” In addition, the risks of additional costs during shipbuilding work will be insured. The insured value of one device is 300 million rubles.

Applications for participation in the request for proposals can be submitted until February 24. The results are planned to be announced on March 9, as follows from the procurement documentation.

According to the attached tender documentation, the AUV "Harpsichord-2R-PM" is being created by the Central Design Bureau of MT "Rubin" in order to fulfill its obligations under government contract No. 748/31/664PM-2009/27-09 dated May 19, 2009 with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The AUV includes a frame (carrying frame), its propulsion system, containers with equipment and batteries, additional equipment and buoyancy units.

Tactical and technical indicators

Dimensions of the AUV according to the project, mm:	length - about 6,500; diameter - about 1,000
Weight in air, kg	about 3,700
Maximum range, km	about 50
Dive depth, m	about 2000 (during tests on the Black Sea - about 500 m.)

Alexander MOZGOVOY

PRIORITY – AUV

What can you say about this? Over the past quarter century, work on uninhabited underwater vehicles (UUVs) has acquired significant proportions in the United States of America and other NATO countries. Remotely controlled UUVs have become especially popular, which today are used in offshore oil fields, for detecting mines, inspecting sunken objects, etc. But they, as a rule, operate at depths of up to 200-300 meters. This is explained by the fact that ROVs are connected by cable to a surface vessel or ship, from which they are controlled. The length of the cable limits the range of the device, and when working at great depths, its length and weight hinder its maneuverability. In addition, the cable is likely to get caught on uneven bottoms and various kinds of obstacles, which threatens the loss of the device.

The Reliant AUV goes underwater.

This is why in recent years the emphasis has increasingly shifted towards AUVs, especially in the naval sector. They dive deeper and swim further. Through hydroacoustic communication, they can also be controlled from a surface vessel, as well as receive color video images from the depths in real time. True, the capabilities of hydroacoustic communication are also limited. Its stability depends on the range of the control object, the salinity of sea water, temperatures at different depths and other factors. Therefore, the most promising military devices are considered to be fully autonomous, that is, operating according to a given program, which can be adjusted when the AUV floats to the surface.

It is rare that an American university does not work on the subject of AUVs, not to mention specialized organizations such as the US Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) or the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), as well as leading American military-industrial corporations. The American Navy willingly tests and uses products from foreign companies, for example, the Norwegian Kongsberg, which created the very successful REMUS 600 and REMUS 6000 devices with a diving depth of 600 and 6000 m, respectively, and significant autonomy. In other words, the United States has accumulated a large amount of knowledge about AUVs and experience in their practical application. Now, according to a Washington Post report, the Pentagon is embarking on an AUV program codenamed the Eisenhower Highway Network. It received this name in honor of the national system of interstate and defense highways (Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways), which was initiated in 1956 by the 34th President of the United States Dwight Eisenhower and in accordance with which 77,017 km were built magnificent highways. The program is designed to study and summarize the operating experience of existing autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles and, on this basis, begin to develop a family of new-generation AUVs for the US Navy. The need for this is explained by the growing undersea threat to the United States from China and Russia.

Such a threat really exists. If previously the Atlantic and Pacific oceans served as natural “water ditches” that protected “Fortress America,” now they have become convenient highways for the secret delivery of strike weapons by submarines to the shores of the United States. This situation is a consequence of Washington’s aggressive policy around the world and attempts to dictate the American “rules of the game” to Beijing and Moscow.

AUV Echo Ranger.

The goal of the Eisenhower Highway Network program, as Christian Davenport emphasizes, “is to create a system that will allow submersible vehicles to operate in the seas for months and ultimately years.” Their primary task will be to scan the bottom of seas and oceans to create accurate 3D maps. Such maps will make it possible to create the most accurate navigation programs for AUV actions. They will be involved in missions that have already become traditional for uninhabited vehicles - searching and destroying mines. The next stage envisages their massive deployment to patrol water areas and detect enemy submarines, information about which they can transmit via satellites and aircraft, including unmanned ones, to the headquarters of anti-submarine forces. Finally, in the future, AUVs should be equipped with weapons to destroy enemy submarines. Small in size and ultra-low noise, they are said to be capable of turning the tide in the underwater sphere in favor of the United States and its allies.

AUV Echo Seeker during testing in a test pool.

WIDE CHOOSE

The backlog of AUVs in the United States is really large. We are talking about several dozen, if not hundreds of devices. Let's name just a few. At the end of October 2013, the American autonomous uninhabited vehicle Reliant (“Self-Confident”) from Bluefin Robotics, part of the General Dynamics corporation, set a record for the duration and range of cruising in fully autonomous mode. In 109 hours, the device covered 315 miles (507 km) from Boston Harbor to New York. The AUV was moving at a depth of about 10 m with an average speed of 2.5 knots. Every 20 km, the device surfaced to clarify its location using the GPS satellite navigation system, as well as to transmit information about the condition of Reliant and the surrounding situation to ground services. At the time of completion of the record-breaking voyage, the batteries of the “Self-confident” still retained about 10% of their charge.

Externally, the Reliant device looks like a torpedo. Its hull diameter of 533 mm is standard for submarine torpedoes, meaning it can be launched from the side of submarines, and its length is about 6 meters. It has retractable devices for communication and obtaining information about the surface situation. Combined navigation system: inertial and GPS. There is a place for installing special equipment, primarily sonar, for detecting submarines and searching for mines. According to some sources, this AUV is capable of diving to a depth of 4.5 km and moving at a speed of 4-5 knots.

AUV Echo Voyager in the assembly shop. In size it is a real mini-submarine.

It is interesting to follow the development of AUVs by specialists from the Boeing aerospace corporation. In 2001, they built the Echo Ranger autonomous underwater vehicle for oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil. It was equipped with a hydroacoustic station for exploring the bottom of offshore oil and gas fields with a high degree of resolution. The underwater displacement of this AUV is 4.5 tons, length is 5.6 m. It can operate at a depth of 3048 meters.

The device was of interest not only to transnational oil monopolies, but also to the United States military department. It passed a number of tests in the interests of the Pentagon. It was intended to be used as a destroyer of enemy submarines in its territorial waters, as well as to patrol its harbors and approaches to them. It was supposed to involve Echo Ranger as part of the long-term mine detection system (Long-Term Mine Reconnaissance System - LMRS). However, many AUVs from other companies and universities have passed similar tests. As a result, the Echo Ranger still did not receive the status of a means of underwater warfare.

But one of the largest American military-industrial corporations, Boeing, did not want to leave the promising market. Following the Echo Ranger came the Echo Seeker. “Hunter” differs from “Ranger” in its larger size and greater immersion depth. The length of the device has increased to 9.75 m, the speed is 5 knots, the cruising range is 430 km, and it dives to 6100 m. Its sonar is capable of “piercing” the water column at 5 km, obtaining an image of an underwater object with a resolution of about 10 cm. The AUV is intended primarily for reconnaissance and other military missions.

But Boeing didn’t stop there either. On March 10 last year, the corporation introduced the super AUV Echo Voyager with a length of 15.54 meters. This is a real mini-submarine that can stay under water for several months. This device is capable of not only carrying sonar and other surveillance equipment, but also quite serious weapons, for example, 324 mm anti-submarine torpedoes.

Apparently, Echo Voyager will be tested under the Pentagon's Extra Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) subprogram, which was formerly called Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV). As part of LDUUV, until the end of 2016, it was planned to test such a heavyweight AUV, which was supposed to covertly dive from San Francisco to San Diego (a distance of about 800 km). But it looks like something didn't work out. In any case, there have been no reports of this record voyage yet.

Under the XLUUV subprogram, in 2017 it is planned to build five large devices of different models and begin their comparative tests. Together with Echo Voyager, this company may include an AUV developed by Submergence Group LLC and Lockheed Martin Corporation, which is being created on the basis of the Mobile Anti-Submarine Training Target (MASTT). Today, MASTT is the world's largest autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle. Its displacement is 64 tons and its length is 24 meters. Now they want to repurpose it - turn it into a combat underwater robot from a training purpose.

It is likely that the Proteus device, developed under the auspices of the largest American shipbuilding corporation Huntington Ingalls Industries, will also be included in the XLUUV subprogram. True, it is inferior in displacement and size to the Echo Voyager and the modified MASTT, but it can be used in two versions at once - as a transporter of combat swimmers, as well as a combat AUV. In the latter version, it can carry four mines or two 324-mm torpedoes or two cassettes with three mini-torpedoes (something like aviation NURS).

But even extra-large uninhabited vehicles will need battery recharging and other services. That is why in the future it is planned to create a forward-deployed energy and communications outposts for them. This, according to the author of the Washington Post, is something like roadside gas stations, where the batteries of uninhabited vehicles will be recharged, changes will be made to their programs, and, if necessary, remote repairs will be carried out, as is already done with spacecraft.

But in order for it all to work as it should, a lot of effort is still required. And the $3 billion reported by the Washington Post will not be spent on mass production of AUVs, but on additional research and development, as well as the production of prototypes. There are still many problems to be solved. Firstly, this is the choice of materials for future super AUVs. After all, sea water is an aggressive environment. It leads to corrosion, especially when left in its environment for a long time. The qualities of composites still need to be confirmed under conditions of exposure to prolonged high pressure at depth.

Secondly, the power plants of future AUVs raise questions. Yes, battery charging stations look attractive. But for now this is just a project. What if a potential enemy discovers such a “refueling station” on its continental shelf? He is unlikely to give her the opportunity to exist for a long time.

UNDERWATER GLIDES

However, among AUVs there is a “species” that can do without batteries. These are gliders. They are also called underwater gliders. The theory of their movement was first outlined by the outstanding American oceanographer Henry Stommel (1917-1992). Aquagliders move underwater not due to propulsion, but by changing the hull deferent, which leads to a change in the buoyancy of the device. In this case, mineral oil flows from the ballast tank into the elastic container and vice versa, which leads to a change in buoyancy. This technology makes it possible to dramatically reduce energy consumption, which, in turn, makes it possible to significantly increase the cruising range. Diving into the depths and emerging to the surface, aquagliders are able to travel thousands of miles over the course of several months. When surfacing, they transmit data about the underwater situation to satellites, aircraft or UAVs.

The surface part of the Wave Glider SV3.

The American company iRobot has built more than 120 Seagliders for research organizations, private companies and the US Navy. They dive to a depth of 1000 m, measure temperature, salinity and other properties of the ocean, and then, upon surfacing, transmit this data several times a day to anywhere in the world using an Internet connection. Seaglider is capable of continuous operation for ten months. To change the deferent, these devices use compact high-capacity batteries. Their main drawback is their low speed (no more than 1.5 knots). For many ocean currents it is higher. That is, when used for military purposes, gliders can simply be carried away from their patrol site.

Probably, this disadvantage can be overcome by using two-section gliders. For example, the American company Liquid Robotics produces Wave Glider SV3 AUV gliders worth $300 thousand apiece for the needs of oil and gas enterprises and research organizations. They are capable of autonomously floating for several months, receiving energy from a solar battery or from the waves on which the devices glide. The fact is that these AUVs consist of two elements: a surface body with solar panels and a glider “attached” to it by a cable, operating at depths of up to 800 m. The surface element supplies energy to the underwater glider. In turn, a glider with six flat “fins”, using the energy of waves and currents, pulls the surface platform behind it. Thanks to this tandem scheme, information about the underwater situation can be constantly supplied to users on-line. The Wave Glider, launched in 2007, crossed the Pacific Ocean in five years, covering a journey of 9,000 miles.

In the fall of 2014, Liquid Robotics and the Boeing Corporation signed an agreement to develop an AUV in the image and likeness of the Wave Glider SV3 combined gliders, but intended for the needs of the US Navy and Coast Guard. They will autonomously patrol the seas and oceans, tracking down submarines and ships carrying drugs, as well as poachers.

According to Liquid Robotics CEO Gary Gysin, we are talking about the production of not dozens, but hundreds and even thousands of such AUVs. If successful, the deal will bring Liquid Robotics hundreds of millions of dollars in profit.

BUT WE ARE NOT CRAZED

However, the first effective autonomous uninhabited vehicles appeared not in the United States or Western Europe and Japan, but in the Soviet Union. And not at all because “Russia is the birthplace of elephants,” but because in 1976-1979. a group of underwater robotics enthusiasts from the Laboratory of Navigation and Control Systems at the Department of Technical Cybernetics of the Far Eastern Branch of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences under the leadership of Mikhail Ageev (1931-2005) created a unique and, in fact, the world's first deep-sea autonomous survey and search robotic complex, which included an AUV L -1 with a diving depth of 2000 m and L-2, diving to 6000 meters. The latter device is considered one of the most outstanding technical achievements of the twentieth century, along with the first artificial Earth satellite and the Vostok spacecraft. The development of the AUV was based on modular technology, which provided for the unification of all main structural elements and was then developed in all subsequent devices of Far Eastern specialists.

In 1980-1981 The final tests of L-1 and L-2 were successfully carried out at maximum operating depths in the Sea of Japan and the Philippine Sea. Only AUV L-2 in 1982-1989. made 157 deep-sea dives. The device was repeatedly used in the interests of the USSR Navy. In 1982-1983 he examined the K-8 nuclear submarine that sank at a depth of 4680 m in the Bay of Biscay, in 1987 the area where the K-219 SSBN sank in the Sargasso Sea (depths of more than 5000 m), in 1989 he studied the condition of the hull of the Komsomolets nuclear submarine at a depth of 1658 m in the Norwegian Sea.

In 1988, Mikhail Ageev (since 1992 - Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences) headed the Institute of Marine Technology Problems (IPMT) of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, created under his leadership. It continued the creation of experimental samples of unique underwater robots. Naturally, during the years of perestroika and the era of neo-capitalism that followed, this work slowed down, but did not stop. In a sense, market relations helped the institute, since it was allowed to sell intellectual property for which there was a long line of foreign clients. And many modern foreign AUVs can rightfully be called descendants of L-1 and L-2.

More than ten years ago, IPMT specialists developed a new generation autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle, the Harpsichord-1R. It is equipped with an automated software control system with the ability to receive commands from an external control panel via a hydroacoustic communication channel. An AUV weighing 2.5 tons is similar to a “thick” torpedo with a body diameter of 900 mm and a length of 5.8 meters. The propulsion system consists of four electric steering columns. The maximum underwater speed is 2.9 knots, the cruising range is 300 km. The immersion depth of “Harpsichord-1R” is 6000 meters.

The side-scan hydroacoustic locator is the main means of monitoring the underwater situation of the Klavesin-1R. It operates in low frequency and high frequency modes. In the first option, the review is carried out in a band of 800 meters. In the second, the sector is reduced to 200 m, but the clarity of the “picture” is higher. There are also a digital video camera, an electromagnetic finder, an acoustic profiler, temperature and seawater electrical conductivity sensors.

Tests of the Harpsichord-1R were carried out in the Sea of Japan and the Arctic. He descended into the Kuril-Kamchatka deep-sea trench and took part in a search operation to discover a radioisotope source that sank in the Sea of Okhotsk. The AUV confidently confirmed the calculated characteristics. In 2008, “Harpsichord-1R” successfully completed state tests and was recommended for operation. After that, he worked productively in various types of operations in the Tartary Strait and in the Peter the Great Gulf. A pilot batch of three devices was manufactured for the Russian Navy.

Currently, the IPMT operates a Center for the design, manufacture and testing of uninhabited underwater vehicles, including gliders. This is not only a design bureau, but also a small experimental plant where prototypes of AUVs and other underwater robotics for civil and military purposes are manufactured.

The developments of the Institute of Marine Technology Problems were developed in other Russian design organizations. Thus, on the basis of the Harpsichord-1R, the Central Design Bureau of MT Rubin created the autonomous uninhabited apparatus Harpsichord-2R-PM for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. For obvious reasons, there is no reliable data about this AUV. But judging by its appearance, it retained the architecture of the prototype. But it became somewhat larger: the body diameter is 1 m, length is 6.5 m, weight is about 3.7 tons. Two prototypes are being tested in the Black Sea. The insured value of each Harpsichord-2R-PM is 300 million rubles.

It is reported that if the tests are successfully completed, the Harpsichord-2R-PM AUVs may enter service with nuclear submarines that have undergone modernization under Project 949AM. They can probably also be used by the special-purpose nuclear submarines BS-64 “Podmoskovye” of project 09787 and K-329 “Belgorod” of project 09852.

Recently, the Central Design Bureau for MT "Rubin" presented a concept design of the naval robotic complex "Surrogat" for testing anti-submarine operations of the Russian Navy. It is an AUV with a length of 17 m, a displacement of about 40 tons, a maximum speed of over 24 knots, a cruising range of about 600 miles at 5 knots and a maximum diving depth of 600 meters. Equipped with a lithium-ion battery, the submarine simulator is capable of playing the role of an enemy nuclear submarine or non-nuclear submarine for 15-16 hours. This AUV can carry towed antennas for various purposes, which makes it possible to realistically reproduce the physical fields of any submarine. “Today, it is necessary to attract combat submarines for exercises or tests, separating them from solving their main tasks,” Igor Vilnit, general director of the Rubin Central Design Bureau for MT, told the TASS agency. “Using an uninhabited simulator will avoid this and reduce the cost of the exercise. In addition, a “crewless” boat reduces risks while maintaining realism. This device will be characterized by ease of operation and low cost of maintenance and modernization.”

Here it should be noted that “surrogates” will be able to imitate not only foreign submarines, but also submarines of the Russian fleet. This is a very important circumstance, since NATO and Japanese submarines are constantly on duty at Russian naval bases, making it difficult for our submarines to deploy covertly. And “surrogates” are able to divert their attention.

The modular design of the simulator will allow you to change its functionality, that is, use the device not only for training purposes, but also for mapping the seabed and reconnaissance. Considering the significant size of the AUV, its speed and cruising range, it is not difficult to imagine it as a strike weapon for destroying enemy submarines near its shores.

Several enterprises in Russia are developing AUVs for various purposes. For example, the Marine Underwater Weapons - Gidropribor Concern, part of the Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation, specializes in mine-resistant autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles. Enterprises of the Tethys Pro group of companies pay significant attention to AUVs. This association, as part of import substitution, created the Concept-M search and research apparatus, capable of diving to a depth of 1000 meters. This AUV, manufactured exclusively from domestic components, is intended to replace the Gavia vehicles of the Icelandic company Hafmynd, currently used by the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Russian Ministry of Defense. This is a modular unit, that is, it is possible to change the composition of the equipment in accordance with the requirements of the operations performed.

“Concept-M” weighing 150 kg, 3 m long and 250 mm in diameter at a speed of up to 5 knots is capable of operating for 17 hours at depths from 10 to 1000 m. The AUV is controlled by hydroacoustic communication or using a fiber-optic cable. When equipped with an all-round sonar, a television camera and a multi-beam echo sounder, the underwater robot detects underwater objects at a range of 600 meters. For autonomous navigation, the device is equipped with a GLONASS-GPS receiver, a magnetic compass and other equipment. In addition to performing search and research missions, the Concept-M can be used to protect ports, naval bases, exploration and mining platforms on the sea shelf.

The Main Research and Testing Center for Robotics of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is testing the Fugu marine robotic complex developed by the MAKO Research and Production Group. Its design is close to the American Wave Glider. "Fugu" is designed to provide communication with submarines and detect enemy submarines. For this purpose, the glider is equipped with a hydroacoustic communication modem and miniature sonars.

To control AUVs in the depths of vast water areas, the Okeanpribor Concern has developed a unique navigation and communication system “Positioner”. With its help, underwater robots will be able to determine their location with high accuracy. And the system will be supported by a network of sonar buoys-beacons. First of all, it is planned to provide such a network to the Russian Arctic shelf. Floating and underwater buoys with GLONASS and Gonets-D1M satellite communications equipment, as well as hydroacoustic equipment, can be deployed in any area of the World Ocean.

As Vladimir Dorofeev, General Director of the St. Petersburg Marine Engineering Bureau “Malachite”, said at the Army-2016 forum, young specialists of this enterprise, together with senior students of the St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University, developed the concept of an underwater platform to ensure long-term operation of AUVs. Depending on their purpose, these platforms are expected to be equipped with various power plants, including nuclear and air-independent. “This concept is designed to combine the best qualities of a mobile platform,” noted Vladimir Dorofeev, “the ability to deliver these devices to the place of their use and at the same time provide them with electricity, maintain their technical readiness and read information from them.” In other words, unlike the American “gas station,” the Russian one will not be stationary, but mobile.

And finally, speaking about Russian autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles, one cannot help but recall the Status-6 AUV, at the mere mention of which the Americans’ hair stands on end with horror and which is called “a weapon of inevitable retribution” overseas. This self-propelled multi-purpose underwater vehicle, equipped with a compact nuclear power plant, is capable of delivering a 100-megaton cobalt nuclear warhead to an enemy shore at a range of up to 6,200 miles (10,000 km). An underwater projectile, using the supercavitation effect, moves towards the target at a speed of 90-100 knots, its travel depth can reach 1000 meters. “Status-6,” which became known in November 2015, is intended to destroy “important enemy economic facilities in the coastal area and cause guaranteed unacceptable damage to the country’s territory by creating zones of extensive radioactive contamination, unsuitable for military, economic -economic and other activities for a long time.” This new type of naval underwater strategic weapon is expected to enter service in 2019-2023. According to American intelligence, the next tests of Status-6 took place on November 27 last year.

THE NEXT PHASE OF THE NAVAL WEAPONS RACE

The Pentagon's intention to make a technological breakthrough in the field of autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles will lead to another round of the naval arms race. But Russia and China are certainly ready for this challenge. And it is not yet known how this competition will turn out for the United States, which is extremely vulnerable from the oceans.

In the foreseeable future, military AUVs, including combat ones, will “populate” the World Ocean, but are unlikely to dominate it. Any bet on an “absolute weapon,” as we know, is futile. An underwater robot war is unlikely to happen. Autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles will become only an element of complex combat systems, which will include nuclear and non-nuclear submarines, deep-sea manned vehicles, traditional and advanced types of defensive and offensive underwater weapons. And in this system, AUVs will occupy their niche.

Underwater robots in battle.

Many today evaluate the development of science and technology by achievements in space, this direction is actively promoted: everyone knows that it sends its rockets and hopefully awaits their return, flights to Mars are actively planned with contemptuous disregard for the nearby Moon. However, there is an equally important and unexplored space closer to us - the ocean depths, which have not been explored so thoroughly, no matter how strange it may seem at first glance. High pressure is an environment no less difficult for technology than vacuum.

And in this area, as in space, Russia has considerable success. Just in June, the Rubin Central Design Bureau announced the completion of work on a new self-controlling deep-sea device, the Harpsichord 2R-PM.

Let's remember the first option - "Harpsichord 1P", which is successfully used on the continental shelf of the Arctic and in the Sea of Japan, the Kuril-Kamchatka deep-sea trench.

Its endurance was 120 hours, its diving depth was up to 6 km, and its range was 300 km.

“Harpsichord 1R” has the ability to conduct survey sonar surveys with a low-frequency locator with a swath of 800 m and a high-frequency one with a swath of 200 m, find and examine point bottom objects, carry out acoustic sounding of the soil and bathymetric measurements. Of course, there is also the possibility of video recording.

A special feature of the device is the presence of various control modes. For example, completely autonomous mode according to a given program or using a hydroacoustic communication channel.

This device has proven to be highly effective: it was engaged in research on the deep-sea shelf of the Russian sector of the Arctic, where it obtained information for the UN, proving that the Lomonosov Ridge belongs to the Russian shelf.

The second model of the Harpsichord, of course, should be ahead of the prototype in terms of characteristics, but exact data has not yet been made public. There was even strange information that the depth of the dive would be reduced from 6 km to 2 km. However, the Rubin Central Design Bureau will not limit itself to just the 2R-PM Harpsichord; the general director of the design bureau, Igor Vilnit, shares his plans:

“On a proactive basis, we are working on the creation of a series of autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles built on a modular basis.”

Igor Vilnit

It is very likely that the designers decided to divide the devices by diving depths: 2 km and 6 km is a fundamental difference, and it is more logical to divide production taking into account modularity: much fewer deep-sea vehicles are required than devices for shelf exploration.

In the near future, the Rubin Central Design Bureau intends to develop a family of deep-sea uninhabited vehicles that will significantly facilitate the construction and subsequent operation of drilling complexes in the Arctic. In fact, reports Igor Valnit, they will be part of the standard subice-underwater drilling complex:

It is planned that the underwater vehicles being developed as part of the project will carry out search and survey work on the ground and in the ocean, necessary during the construction of the drilling complex, as well as ensure safety during its operation.

Igor Vilnit

With research capabilities, everything is more or less clear. But taking into account modern realities, a natural question arises: is the military use of the Harpsichord possible?

It is clear that it can be used to search for all kinds of “surprises” on the seabed, for sabotage on underwater engineering structures, for reconnaissance of enemy naval bases and much more. At the same time, the declared range of 300 km is very arbitrary: “Caliber” in its export version also does not fly very far. In addition, range can be related to control: transmitting commands through hydroacoustic communications in real time is one thing, programmed actions like “swim to there and lie there quietly, transmitting data” are another.

But to solve some problems, various remotely controlled systems with a set of necessary equipment can be used.

Thus, autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles can be used to explore the seabed and study bottom objects. Systems of this class are actively being developed by domestic enterprises. In recent years, several similar complexes have been created by several organizations.

Two of them belong to the family called "Harpsichord".