Modeling of Underwater Bomb Trajectory for Mine Clearance

Abstract

The falling of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) through a water column was modeled using a six degrees of freedom model (called STRIKE35), which contains three components: hydrodynamics, semi-empirical determination of the drag/ lift/torque coefficients (depending on the Reynolds number and the angle of attack), and water surface characteristics.To validate and verify this model, three underwater bomb trajectory tests were conducted in the Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (NAWC/WD) in the middle of Indian Wells Valley, California. During the test, several JDAMs were dropped from an airplane into two frustum ponds with the same bottom diameter of approximately 30.5 m, different surface diameters (61 m, 79 m), and different depths (7.6 m, 12.1 m). High-speed digital cameras with light/pressure sensors, and a global positioning system were used to record the location and orientation of JDAMs. Model—data inter comparison shows the capability of STRIKE35, which may lead to a new approach (breaching technology) of sea mine clearance in very shallow water (water depth less than 12.2 m, i.e. 40 ft).

Conceptual Design of Future Undersea Unmanned Vehicle (UUV) System for Mine Disposal

“…While originally equipped with a simple contact mechanism, it gradually became more advanced [1], [2], incorporating a range of smart detonators. A wide variety of mine types are deployed today, and many of them are highly sophisticated [3]- [5]. Although mines attack individual targets, their effects can be far-reaching at fleet and theater levels.…”