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DSEI 2023: SpearUAV rolls out drone launcher system for submarines

19th September 2023 - 17:00 GMT | by Alix Valenti in London

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SpearUAV has released details of a submarine launch capsule for its Viper UAS. (Image: SpearUAV)

Israeli UAS developer SpearUAV introduced a submarine-launched capsule option for its Viper 750 UAV at DSEI 2023.

At DSEI 2023 SpearUAV, an Israeli company specialised in the development of UAS, showed the submarine-launched version of its Viper 750 UAV. 

Viper is a family of encapsulated UAS that can be used for a range of missions with payloads of 750g to 1kg for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and other tasks. 

'All solutions – Viper 40 (small), Viper 300 (medium) and Viper 750 (large) – are encapsulated in a ruggedised capsule that enables the operator to deploy a UAS at the push of a button,' Itamar Ben-Tovim, chief business development officer at SpearUAV, told Shephard

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Understanding that submarines are limited by line of sight (LOS) when they are at periscope depth, SpearUAV has opted to develop a new capsule for the Viper 750 in order to allow a launch from an SSK. 'We have designed the capsule to be launched from a four-inch signal ejector, the standard size for most submarines and underwater platforms,' Ben-Tovim explained.

The capsule is launched from the signal ejector, reaches the surface and subsequently releases the UAS. Depending on the CONOPS, the UAS can be released immediately if the submarine wishes to communicate with other platforms for a full situational awareness picture, or can be programmed to be released much later, once the submarine has left the area. 

'The capsule has been designed to sink once the UAS has been released,' Ben-Tovim added. As for the Viper it can either sink as well once it has finished its mission or it can land on other platforms for recovery. 'It is really up to customers’ requirements and CONOPS,' Ben-Tovim confirmed. 

The UAS has been designed to carry encrypted communication, using the point-to-multipoint method. It features an AI algorithm and systems that facilitate target detection and identification, reducing the operator’s cognitive load, and is can be integrated in a battle management system using open architecture.

Shephard's DSEI 2023 coverage is sponsored by:

Alix Valenti

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Alix Valenti


Dr Alix Valenti is an international freelance defence journalist. Her main focus is on naval …

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