The present invention refers to a hybrid vessel with a ballast system in which the position of the cabin (102) is changed vertically, from emerged to submerged and vice versa, according to the decision of its operator.

Thus, the present invention describes a hybrid vessel with ballast water system comprising at least one cabin (102) and at least one main tank (101) of ballast water, and the tank (101) is connected directly to the CAB (102) or partially above the water level.

The present invention refers to a hybrid vessel with a ballast system in which the position of the cabin (102) is changed vertically, from emerged to submerged and vice versa, according to the decision of its operator.

Thus, the present invention describes a hybrid vessel with ballast water system comprising at least one cabin (102) and at least one main tank (101) of ballast water, and the tank (101) is connected directly to the CAB (102) or partially above the water level.

A load-bearing frame structure for a maritime vehicle includes two support plates, a deck plate structure, a front bulkhead structure, and a back bulkhead structure. Each of the support plates has a front edge, a back edge, a top edge, and a bottom edge. The support plates can be angled relative to each other and connected to each other at the top edges thereof forming an inverted V-shape. The support plates can alternately be parallel to each other in a vertical orientation. The support plates each have one or more cut-out sections. The deck plate structure connects the two support plates proximate the bottom edges of the support plates. The front bulkhead structure connects the front edges of the support plates, and the back bulkhead structure connects the back edges of the support plates.

A load-bearing frame structure for a maritime vehicle includes two support plates, a deck plate structure, a front bulkhead structure, and a back bulkhead structure. Each of the support plates has a front edge, a back edge, a top edge, and a bottom edge. The support plates can be angled relative to each other and connected to each other at the top edges thereof forming an inverted V-shape. The support plates can alternately be parallel to each other in a vertical orientation. The support plates each have one or more cut-out sections. The deck plate structure connects the two support plates proximate the bottom edges of the support plates. The front bulkhead structure connects the front edges of the support plates, and the back bulkhead structure connects the back edges of the support plates.

A quick release bow clamp comprising a hinged circular body having a vehicle mating flange and a nose cone mating flange configured to selectively attach to an access plate on the bow of an underwater vehicle and a nose cone for the same, respectively. The flanges of the bow clamp and the corresponding flanges of the access plate and nose cone may include an intermittent pattern of open and solid portions for weight reduction. The bow clamp may also include a quick release clamp having an adjustable draw latch configured to attach to a clip on the body of the bow clamp and a safety latch configured to prevent the draw latch from inadvertently disengaging with the clip.

A quick release bow clamp comprising a hinged circular body having a vehicle mating flange and a nose cone mating flange configured to selectively attach to an access plate on the bow of an underwater vehicle and a nose cone for the same, respectively. The flanges of the bow clamp and the corresponding flanges of the access plate and nose cone may include an intermittent pattern of open and solid portions for weight reduction. The bow clamp may also include a quick release clamp having an adjustable draw latch configured to attach to a clip on the body of the bow clamp and a safety latch configured to prevent the draw latch from inadvertently disengaging with the clip.

The invention relates to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The AUV includes a frame and tunnel thrusters for propelling and orientating the AUV, where the tunnel thrusters have inlets and outlets, each of outlets being directed in a different orientation, and are mounted to the frame. The AUV further includes fasteners for connecting the frame to a hull, where the fasteners have an orientation that is substantially parallel to the tunnel thrusters. The hull has a substantially spherical shape and further includes (1) a bottom plate with inlet openings. (2) a top plate with outlet openings, where the top plate and the bottom plate are affixed to the fasteners and hold plate rings of the hull in place, and (3) each of the plate rings that further includes a corresponding retention ring and corresponding central plates.

An underwater craft is considerably less likely to be detected by sonar if the underwater craft includes an outer hull as disclosed herein, which outer hull may extend in a longitudinal direction through a stern section, through a midship section, and through a bow section. The outer hull in the midship section may have a polygonal cross section. The outer hull of the midship section may also have curvature along the longitudinal direction throughout the midship section. A ratio of a radius of curvature to a total length of the underwater craft in the longitudinal direction may be between 5 and 1000. Further, a cylindrical pressure vessel may be disposed under the outer hull.

An underwater craft is considerably less likely to be detected by sonar if the underwater craft includes an outer hull as disclosed herein, which outer hull may extend in a longitudinal direction through a stern section, through a midship section, and through a bow section. The outer hull in the midship section may have a polygonal cross section. The outer hull of the midship section may also have curvature along the longitudinal direction throughout the midship section. A ratio of a radius of curvature to a total length of the underwater craft in the longitudinal direction may be between 5 and 1000. Further, a cylindrical pressure vessel may be disposed under the outer hull.

A submarine support ship is preferably a triple-hulled vessel; the lower portion of the ship is a paired-hull catamaran which is capable of deep diving, clasping the submarine at deep sea, and floating upwards together with the clasped submarine. The upper portion of the ship is a buoyancy tank, which can supply air to and pull up the deep-diving lower portion, and can also conduct security of an ocean-going submarine. For the submarine support ship of the present invention, by utilizing a mature deep diving submersible technology, the lower portion of the submarine support ship is manufactured as a deep-diving submersible in a submarine contour form, which is quickly separated from the upper portion of the submarine support ship and dives to reach the submarine position in the deep sea, clasps the submarine and then floats upwards together with the submarine as a whole to the water-surface position, such that the egress hatch of the submarine is docked with a dedicated docking hatch of the submarine support ship, to implement rescue security of the submarine; which mainly solves the problem that the rescue water-depth of current deep-diving lifeboats is shallow, but it also solves the problems that the deep-diving lifeboat has many rescue links, slow speed, and can only save people, but not submarines.