High Speed Long Range Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Communication Link

A small transceiver was designed and developed for use aboard an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV). The transceiver was used to provide two way high speed communications between UUV and ground station over the FLTCOM Satellite. The satellite communication link was successfully demonstrated on 28 September 1988 using the Sea Lion submersible which was controlled in the Patuxent River by a shore based station. This is the first time that and high speed long range communications link has been established between a UUV and ground station over satellite. This is the first step and represents a major breakthrough in solving a key technology needed for autonomous underwater vehicle development.