Underwater vehicle “Amulet” produced by the Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering “Rubin”.
Underwater drones for searching and tracking enemy submarines have been created and are being tested in Russia. They were developed at the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering. Experts believe that the development of maritime unmanned vehicles is natural and necessary, but people will still play a decisive role in military affairs.
The advantage of robots over classic submarines is that they can use non-concealed methods to search for an enemy, for example, active hydroacoustics. The destruction of such an apparatus due to its small size and maneuverability is not only difficult, but also economically unprofitable. Therefore, from the point of view of underwater combat, the most attractive task for uninhabited underwater vehicles is the search and tracking of enemy submarines.
The Central Design Bureau says that development is being carried out in several directions, and some of the options for unmanned underwater vehicles are already presented “in metal”, and not just on the drawings. They, according to a representative of “Rubin”, are being tested, but no details are given.
Their use will reduce the enemy's ability to conduct reconnaissance off the coast of Russia using submarines and underwater drones.
The commander of the K-241 submarine of the Northern Fleet, Rear Admiral, Hero of Russia Vsevolod Khmyrov believes that now the development of robotics is taking place with huge steps, so it is not surprising that drones are being introduced into all spheres of military operations.
“Already created devices, the same Poseidon, which have great autonomy and have serious weapons on board. Perhaps, in the field of technology development, we are moving into what was recently considered fiction and this is already the nearest future. However, I am inclined that manned underwater systems will play a key role in submarine warfare for a long time to come. When a technology is operated by a human, it is more efficient than a robot. Underwater weapons are not only technologically complex, they also exist in an aggressive environment, that is, salty sea water. Therefore, a person must constantly monitor the state of such equipment, maintain it, and repair it in case of malfunction and damage. Marine drones cannot fully solve the problem of war – they are participants in hostilities. The question of victory is decided only by those systems in which there is a person, ”the expert concluded.
The Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering specializes in the design of submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles. Now in the Russian Navy there are several types of submarines designed in “Rubin” – strategic nuclear-class “Borey” and non-nuclear class “Varshavyanka”. Recently “Rubin” presented several new underwater developments for civilian purposes, in particular, “Amulet-2” of the ultra-small class. It is designed to carry out prospecting, research and inspection work with a submersion depth of up to 70 meters.
