A recovery system for recovering an autonomous underwater vehicle from a ship, the underwater vehicle comprising a front portion referred to as the nose, the system comprising: a receiving device comprising a stop on which the nose of the underwater vehicle is capable of bearing, blocking means making it possible to secure the underwater vehicle to the stop, a flexible link intended to provide the interface between the receiving device and the ship, the flexible link being arranged so the ship pulls the assembly formed by the receiving device and the underwater vehicle on the front of the underwater vehicle when the latter is rigidly connected to the stop, stabilization means configured to make it possible to control the depth and the attitude, in particular the list and trim of the assembly formed by the receiving device and the underwater vehicle when the latter is rigidly connected to the stop.

A deep-water submersible system is disclosed. The system can include a pressure vessel and an internal assembly. The internal assembly can include a housing and a wedge lock assembly coupleable to the housing. The wedge lock assembly can include a plurality of wedge members arranged along a longitudinal axis and including end wedge members at each end and one or more intermediate wedge members between the end wedge members. The wedge lock assembly can also include a displacement device along the longitudinal axis and connecting the end wedge members. The displacement device can be actuatable in one direction to move the end wedge members toward one another to displace adjacent wedge members relative to one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to engage and apply a clamping force to the housing and the pressure vessel. In addition, the wedge lock assembly can include a variable gap compensation mechanism operable to exert a biasing force on the plurality of wedge members to accommodate the relative transverse movement of the adjacent wedge members and maintain the clamping force on the housing and the pressure vessel within a predetermined range as a distance between the housing and the pressure vessel varies.

A deep-water submersible system is disclosed. The system can include a pressure vessel and an internal assembly. The internal assembly can include a housing and a wedge lock assembly coupleable to the housing. The wedge lock assembly can include a plurality of wedge members arranged along a longitudinal axis and including end wedge members at each end and one or more intermediate wedge members between the end wedge members. The wedge lock assembly can also include a displacement device along the longitudinal axis and connecting the end wedge members. The displacement device can be actuatable in one direction to move the end wedge members toward one another to displace adjacent wedge members relative to one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to engage and apply a clamping force to the housing and the pressure vessel. In addition, the wedge lock assembly can include a variable gap compensation mechanism operable to exert a biasing force on the plurality of wedge members to accommodate the relative transverse movement of the adjacent wedge members and maintain the clamping force on the housing and the pressure vessel within a predetermined range as a distance between the housing and the pressure vessel varies.

An example underwater vehicle includes a first section detachably coupled to a second section that is positioned forward of the first section, and a hinge detachably coupling the first section to the second section, where the hinge creates a pivot between the first section and the second section. The underwater vehicle includes a lock having a locked position and an unlocked position, where, in the locked position, the lock couples the first section and the second section together, and where, in the unlocked position, the second section is capable of decoupling from the first section. The underwater vehicle also includes a drag fin associated with the second section that is movable to an extended position away from the second section to create a drag force which causes the second section to pivot about the hinge, away from the first section, when the underwater vehicle is traveling through a fluid medium.

An example underwater vehicle includes a first section detachably coupled to a second section that is positioned forward of the first section, and a hinge detachably coupling the first section to the second section, where the hinge creates a pivot between the first section and the second section. The underwater vehicle includes a lock having a locked position and an unlocked position, where, in the locked position, the lock couples the first section and the second section together, and where, in the unlocked position, the second section is capable of decoupling from the first section. The underwater vehicle also includes a drag fin associated with the second section that is movable to an extended position away from the second section to create a drag force which causes the second section to pivot about the hinge, away from the first section, when the underwater vehicle is traveling through a fluid medium.

An example underwater vehicle includes a first section detachably coupled to a second section that is positioned forward of the first section, and a hinge detachably coupling the first section to the second section, where the hinge creates a pivot between the first section and the second section. The underwater vehicle includes a lock having a locked position and an unlocked position, where, in the locked position, the lock couples the first section and the second section together, and where, in the unlocked position, the second section is capable of decoupling from the first section. The underwater vehicle also includes a drag fin associated with the second section that is movable to an extended position away from the second section to create a drag force which causes the second section to pivot about the hinge, away from the first section, when the underwater vehicle is traveling through a fluid medium.

An example underwater vehicle includes a first section detachably coupled to a second section that is positioned forward of the first section, and a hinge detachably coupling the first section to the second section, where the hinge creates a pivot between the first section and the second section. The underwater vehicle includes a lock having a locked position and an unlocked position, where, in the locked position, the lock couples the first section and the second section together, and where, in the unlocked position, the second section is capable of decoupling from the first section. The underwater vehicle also includes a drag fin associated with the second section that is movable to an extended position away from the second section to create a drag force which causes the second section to pivot about the hinge, away from the first section, when the underwater vehicle is traveling through a fluid medium.

The present invention addresses the problem of achieving communication with the outside at a position different from a position at which a surfacing device has surfaced. A surfacing device 100 is released from a submerging body 200 sunk underwater UW to surface overwater OW and communicates with an external communicator 300. The surfacing device 100 comprises: a surfacing unit which surfaces, from underwater UW to overwater OW, the surfacing device 100 released from the submerging body 200; a communication unit which can transmit target information to the external communicator 300 after the surfacing device 100 has surfaced from underwater UW to overwater OW; and a moving unit which moves a target portion, which is at least a part of the surfacing device 100, after the surfacing device 100 has surfaced from underwater UW to overwater OW.

The present invention addresses the problem of achieving communication with the outside at a position different from a position at which a surfacing device has surfaced. A surfacing device 100 is released from a submerging body 200 sunk underwater UW to surface overwater OW and communicates with an external communicator 300. The surfacing device 100 comprises: a surfacing unit which surfaces, from underwater UW to overwater OW, the surfacing device 100 released from the submerging body 200; a communication unit which can transmit target information to the external communicator 300 after the surfacing device 100 has surfaced from underwater UW to overwater OW; and a moving unit which moves a target portion, which is at least a part of the surfacing device 100, after the surfacing device 100 has surfaced from underwater UW to overwater OW.

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a Black box with Satellite Transmitter (BSAT) for underwater vehicles. The BSAT provides a mission data backup of sunken under water vehicles and it is akin to a black box recorder of aircrafts. The BSAT comprising a sealed enclosure to receive and transmit IR and electromagnetic signals, a Global Positioning System (GPS) with an antenna to provide GPS parameters of the BSAT, a transmit antenna to transmit the GPS parameters and parameters associated with the underwater vehicle, an ejection mechanism to eject the BSAT from the underwater vehicle on detecting a pre-defined condition, by an electronic controller. The electronic controller to perform at least one of sending control signals, communicating using IR transceiver, acquire and store underwater vehicle parameters, identifying an ejection instant, acquiring and storing data GPS parameters, scheduling data transmission through a satellite after ejection of the BSAT from the underwater vehicle.