The Remotely Manned Undersea Work Systems developed at the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) are described. This paper begins with a description and analysis of typical underwater work tasks. Based on the function derived from the tasks analysis, various underwater transporters (vehicles or divers systems) will be described, the sensors required to locate and provide support at the work site will be discussed. Based on the various components required to perform underwater tasks thus delineated, systems synthesis is applied to provide the most efficient operations by best combining the complementary characteristics of each of the subsystems.
The tasks defined and equipment described are applicable to most undersea operations; such as survey, inspection, search, salvage, recovery of items from the seafloor, emergency rescue of submersibles or habitats, as well as performance of dexterous tasks on undersea installations.
Any discussion on the research and development of work systems must begin with an understanding of the tasks to be accomplished. The ultimate objective of the systems and components discussed in this paper is to perform useful work in the sea. Therefore, knowledge of both the undersea environment and the required tasks is paramount in planning and conducting a research and development program for underwater work systems.
The tasks that most strongly affect the development of underwater systems are as follows:
SEARCH - to find lost items, locate work sites, and survey seafloor areas.
INSPECTION - to classify detected targets, monitor continuing operations, define the integrity of structural components or pipelines, detect leakage of pollutants, and record the condition of objects, e.g., ships, aircraft, and canned waste, on the seafloor.
RECOVERY - to attach lifting devices, cut away moorings or clutter, and provide vertical and horizontal lifting forces to affect transport of objects from the seafloor to the surface.
ASSEMBLY, MODIFICATION, OR REPAIR - to conduct work on objects on the seafloor or within the volume, assemble parts, and affect repairs, improvements, or alterations.
NEUTRALIZATION - to modify objects (possibly by explosive means) to render the site safe for future operations, e.g mine clearance or removal of obstructing wreckage.
To perform undersea tasks, service platforms must provide mobility and motive power for the working tools and support to the sensors needed for acquisition and monitoring of the work site. These service platforms may range from a human diver, for minor shallow water work, through a range of tethered and untethered, manned and unmanned submersible systems. Both diver and manned systems are covered most adequately elsewhere; therefore, this paper will concentrate on the application of remotely controlled unmanned systems, with special emphasis on the required sensors and tools.
Although these systems are referred to as unmanned, this does not mean that man has been removed from the system; it simply implies that the human operator is not aboard the vehicle at the work site. The human operator is totally integrated into the system and has full perception because of displays from the sensors aboard the vehicle and the controls for its operation.