The rapid emergence of unmanned systems in all military operational domains leads to radical changes in the operational strategies of the armed forces. This topic aims to address these changes and in particular EU capabilities to operate and coordinate unmanned systems in the underwater warfare domain (UWW). These systems are limited by the challenging environment (e.g., low communication range/bandwidth, no satellite navigation, poor visibility) and technology gaps (e.g., incompatible technologies, missing common interoperable standards).

Ongoing research on underwater observation, detection, acquisition and communications is expected to make an evaluation of critical technologies for detection of underwater threats for protection of maritime infrastructures and coastal strategic areas and assets and identify novel technologies for improved situational awareness. Several unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and stationary systems with different characteristics and capabilities exists in Europe, but currently no manned-unmanned teaming and swarms (UTS) technology is available at a satisfactory maturity level to utilise available synergies and to increase the mission performance of combined tactical units for navies. Furthermore, infrastructure elements such as offshore wind farms and power cables with different sensors are to a large extent unused in this context. Current UUVs have challenges regarding performance, incompatible subsystems and lack of possibilities for retrofit capability extensions.

Depending on the requirements and the concept of operations (manned-unmanned teaming, swarms, squads, detection and manipulation of objects), the UUSS technical elements can differ significantly in size, range, endurance, payload (e.g., mission equipment, communication bottom node or buoy, towed sonar sensors), onboard systems (e.g., communication, navigation, human machine interface (HMI), sonar sensors, optical sensors), level of autonomy and the collaboration capabilities with unmanned vehicles (UxV) from the same or different domains (i.e., air, ground, sea, subsea).

This development should build on results from prior EU underwater research activities, with the aim to design and develop operationally relevant systems employing the available existing research outcomes.

This call topic contributes to the STEP objectives, as defined in STEP Regulation, in the target investment area of deep and digital technologies.

Requirements and the concept of operations across the EU Member States’ and EDF Associated Countries’ armed forces must be surveyed and analysed to cover a wide range of use cases and to avoid duplications or incompatible technology developments. The outcome should be used as input for conceptional design studies of different UUSS types. This analysis must serve the design. The conceptional design factors should include among others:

System performance and technologies:

• Endurance, range, dive depth and payload requirements.
• Different energy sources (e.g., batteries, motor fuel, fuel cells).
• Propulsion types (e.g., electric, diesel, hybrid (diesel–electric)).
• Concept of operations (manned-unmanned teaming, swarms, squads).
• Mission profiles (e.g., combination of multiple mission segments such as launch, recovery, fast transit, silent, idle).
• Capability of being deployed via Air, Land and Sea.

Mass, dimensions and shape:

• Existing systems (e.g., launch and recovery systems (LARS), torpedo tubes).
• Logistics (e.g., cargo space, 20/40 ft cargo containers).

Sustainability and innovation management:

• Integration of existing or novel subsystems (e.g., definition of assembly space).
• Definition of a certification plan and data for a future certification.

The requirements on the new generation of UUSS, systems and subsystems are expected to evolve rapidly in the near future due to high pace of technological innovation in the area in particular employment of new UxV. This development risk must be mitigated by innovative, interoperable, and future-oriented designs with a modular structure to maximise the operational lifecycle, sustainability and consequently minimise costs. The feasibility and suitability of the design should be proven by the assembly of early demonstrators or far-developed prototypes and should include features such as:

• Configurability (e.g., variable mission equipment).
• Expandability (e.g., exchangeable fuselage section / swap heads).
• Cross-platform subsystem development (e.g., navigation and communication devices).
  Depending on the maturity of the of early demonstrators or the far-developed prototypes, the supersystem (e.g., multiple vehicles and fixed unfractured elements such as bottom nodes and offshore wind farms, power cables), the system (e.g., single vehicle) or subsystem (e.g., vehicle components) may be validated, demonstrated and tested in a relevant or operational seawater environment and may be operated in different concept of operations (e.g., manned-unmanned teaming, swarms, squads). Furthermore, qualification (e.g., non-destructive, destructive) and certification of the UUSS, system and subsystem should be conducted. Possible activities should consist of:

Technical aspects

• Structural (e.g., limit loads, ultimate loads, failure loads, pressure, vibration, shocks).
• Electrical (e.g., over voltage, over current, overload power, energy storage).
• Thermal (e.g., temperature, heat transfer, cooling).
• Radiation (e.g., electromagnetic, acoustic, optical).
• Manipulation devices (e.g., drilling, handling).

Operational aspects

• Demonstration, testing and validation of mission segments or profiles.
• Demonstration, testing and validation of collaborative capabilities (e.g., interoperability, shared communication, serial/parallel task execution, initialisation and reconfigurations of formation).
• Checking of the UU supersystems, systems and subsystems performance against the operational requirements of potential operators.
• Information Security in military operations.

Regulatory aspects

• Certification by public regulations and standards (e.g., regulatory authorities, industry standards, EU, NATO).