Submersible Combatant Concept for Improved Littoral Warfare

The current proliferation of low cost, low technology means of access denial raises the cost of U.S. power projection in many areas of the world. This problem is especially evident in the littoral environment, where enemy forces may employ a host of access denial methods including submarines, mines, small boats, and undersea sensor systems. These regions also exhibit maneuvering and navigational challenges such as underwater obstacles and civilian shipping vessels. Future naval platforms will rely heavily on the use of unmanned vehicles to more effectively perform their missions. While it is possible to deploy, support, and retrieve many of these unmanned vehicles from a high- end platform (e.g., SSN, SSGN), it is proposed that there may be a more efficient and cost effective means of managing these smaller vehicles and payloads. The KAPPA submersible craft concept, the result of a Carderock Division Naval Surface Warfare Center (CDNSWC) Innovation Center project, may be an effective, cost efficient force multiplier that can perform covert missions in littoral regions and austere ports, assist in providing and maintaining access, and support other joint assets. The KAPPA craft concept is a stealthy, highly maneuverable craft, with a modular payload volume and flexible ocean interface that acts as part of a cascading payloads chain for improved littoral warfare operations. The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white. Prepared for the Engineering the Total Ship (ETS) 2004 Symposium held in Gaithersburg, MD. at the National Institute of Standards & Technology and sponsored by the Naval Sea Systems Command & the American Society of Naval Engineers.