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Robotic Gliders Soar Underwater

Posted by michael on from the soon-to-be-militarized dept.

zymano writes "Yahoo has this tech news on ocean gliders that can go on journeys for hundreds of miles and last for weeks using pumps that push ballast water in and out to subtly change their buoyancy. This enables them to alternately rise and fall through the ocean as they glide forward. Oh , $60,000 if you want one." See our previous stories for more information.

1 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. Finally, a cruise missile for the masses by Animats · · Score: 4, Insightful
    At last, the intercontinental torpedo. This is going to go over big with terrorists. Or small countries that need some effective deterrent against US attack.

    The next step in weaponization is a torpedo powerplant and seeker. This would be used only in the last stage, when wave motion has brought the thing to a harbor mouth, allowing a final attack run with power. The thing can be launched hundreds of miles offshore. Maybe thousands.

    It's back to submarine nets, like WWII. SOSUS isn't going to pick this up; it's just drifting sea junk most of the time.