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More on Underwater Gliders

Posted by michael on from the stingray dept.

ianjk writes "Abcnews.com is reporting on two underwater gliders developed by the University of Washington and Webb Research. Both use very little energy and have quite long ranges (thousands of kilometers). Of course, the US Navy is showing quite an interest in the project." We mentioned these earlier.

7 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. I don't think so! by mustangdavis · · Score: 3, Insightful
    If next year's open water tests go well, Swean says it's possible that the Navy could be using underwater gliders within two or three years.

    No Way!

    C'mon people ... this is the U.S. Military you are talikg about! That is way to fast for them! Don't go putting pressure like that on them ... it hurts!

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  2. thoughts for the future? by Ashish+Kulkarni · · Score: 5, Insightful

    you know, reading articles such as this always leave me with the feeling that we aren't really exploring the use of the seas in future. Almost 70% of the earth is water, but we do not have that much effort or research money in it that we have for space exploration. It's really quite illogical to hope for the stars while ignoring your own backyard. Also considering that pure water is going to be one of the world's biggest problems, we should be paying more attention here.

  3. Interesting to watch by Shadow2097 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    In the US Air Force and part of the Army, pilots of traditional fighter/bomber aircraft are none too thrilled with the unmanned aerial vehicles. You go from putting it all on the line everytime you strap on the flight suit to sitting in a nice air-conditioned office playing what amounts to a fancy (and amazingly lifelike) video game. There is intense pressure from the pilots to scale this program down immensely.

    The Navy however, has no figher pilot equivalent. The billion dollar war platforms that make up the submarine force are already very unglamorous to work in. The price tag of these ships brings in a whole new player to this battle. Congressmen and women LOVE to see high-priced defense contracts being given to shipyards in their districts.

    If these mini-subs are truly effective and the demand for hugely expensive nuclear powered subs begins to drop, it will be interesting to see which senators favor the modernization of our military vs. those who want more pork barrel projects pumping fuel into their local economies.

    -Shadow

    1. Re:Interesting to watch by gorillasoft · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The Navy however, has no figher pilot equivalent.

      No fighter pilot equivalent? What are all those aircraft carriers for, then? Or do I misunderstand your point?

  4. Not what I was expecting by Black+Copter+Control · · Score: 4, Insightful
    After reading the article, I was expecting a delta ray type lifting-body. I'm expecting that that would give a much distance/depth efficiency -- and possibly better speed.

    I also agree with the earlier poster -- a 1 Knot 'glider' in a 5 knot current sounds only slightly better than a buoy -- but you may be able to use that 1 knot active motion to do things like move cross-current and use different ocean currents to move you around the ocean.

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  5. Pax Americana by Srin+Tuar · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So, with these, everyone will win. The Greenies cute little dolphins don't have to kill, and the US Navy can continue to enforce the Pax Americana, and the rest of the world (except for evildoers) can go about their business, criticizing war mongering Americans, yet profiting from the most peaceful age the world has known since the Roman Empire.

    Pax Americana?
    The most peaceful age the world has known since the Roman Empire?


    Sure, If you define it as the state of perpetual war that has existed since the 1930's: our governmentt has been going around the world finding excuses to pick a fight with almost anyone, and the result is large numbers of people in a crazed and desperate enough state of mind to fly a perfectly good airplane into a building full of people, and this is, of course, an age of unprecedented peace among mankind?


    Perhaps its due to a preponderance of people who think that naval surveillance drones have something to do with training trusting sea mammals to be suicide bombers...

  6. I wonder... by alaeth · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...if the DEA could use this kind of technology to track all of those 1 a.m. drug running boats from South America.

    Good place for funding at least :)

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