Hydrodynamic implications for submarine launched underwater gliders

Abstract

Underwater gliders are a type of long range unmanned vehicle that use bouyancy control and lifting surfaces to travel in a sawtooth trajectory through the water column. These vehicles are typically employed by oceanographers for environmental monitoring and also show promise as a sensor platform in military applications. This paper presents investigations of vehicle hydrodynamics relating to the deployment of a Slocum Glider from conventional submarines, where the standard vehicle was fitted with low aspect ratio wings to enable it to fit into a sabot for deployment from a 21 inch torpedo tube.