SLUAS Manx

The Roark SLUAS Manx is a submarine launched loitering UAV that enables submariners to obtain exceptional situational awareness from the air without having to surface.

Key Features

The Manx is housed in a 2.6″ wide ascension tube. This is a highly weather durable, pressurized tube. The ascension tube will rise to the surface significant depth, utilizing a weighted buoy system to ensure that when it breaks the surface it does so with the deployment housing facing skywards. The buoy system also ensures the housing tube remains in a vertical placement even in the roughest of water conditions.

On the launch cap is a standalone directional wave sensor. Whilst not actually reporting data, the wave sensor acts as a locking mechanism for the launch cap, prohibiting launch of the UAV during wave breaks. The base of the ascension tube carries a VLF antenna which unfolds during ascension and is wired to the launch control.

The launch mechanism can be controlled by a submariner using encrypted VLF transmission triggers or by accessing the UAV operational hub using SATCOM.

The actual launch itself sees a high powered thrust based system which accelerates air within the ascension tube and forces the UAV out of the ascension tube at the same time as the launch cap opens.

Pressure sensors on the UAV trigger the startup function and the release of the propellors in to the spread pattern.

The UAV can be controlled using SATCOM with it carrying a tunable SATCOM antenna, this also acts as a relay switch for remote log in. Images are broadcast over SATCOM using quantum key distribution for encryption. Images can also be filtered through Plexus for advanced AI processing.

The UAV itself carries a multi spectral optical unit with WAMI, IR and Hyperspectral functionality.

The UAV has an optional 1KG payload function, 30Km range, 120 minute flight time and an incredibly low visual signature.

Both the UAV and ascension tubing can be recovered via various tracking methodologies.

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