SEABED WARFARE AND THE XLUUV

Seabed warfare is quickly becoming one of the most important new research areas for the U.S. Navy. Defining seabed warfare is a challenge being faced by many as research continues in this new and innovative field. The problem of developing a concept of operations for performing seabed warfare operating in both offensive and defensive environments is becoming increasingly important as the need to complete kill chains without placing high-value assets at risk rises. With the introduction of the new Extra-Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV), there is an interest to determine the utility of the XLUUV in performing seabed warfare. There are many potential capabilities to unlock within the seabed warfare field. This report takes the concept of kill box, a three-dimensional area used to facilitate the integration of coordinated joint weapons fire, and applies it to a new domain: undersea. The kill box includes seabed sensors; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) devices; and effects devices. This paper provides a concept of operations for seabed warfare in an undersea kill box with simulation results to determine the utility of the XLUUV.http://archive.org/details/seabedwarfareand1094559584Civilian, Department of the NavyCivilian, Department of the NavyCivilian, Department of the NavyCivilian, Department of the NavyCivilian, Department of the NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited