US Navy Launches Undersea Drone
A U.S. Navy submarine has become the first to launch and recover an underwater drone used in a military operation, reports AP.
The attack submarine USS North Dakota returned to its base in Groton, Connecticut, on Monday following a nearly two-month deployment.
The vessel's commanding officer, Capt. Douglas Gordon, said the Mediterranean Sea mission proved submarine-launched drones are a viable option for the Navy.
The drone was launched from a shelter attached to the top of the Virginia class submarine that can also be used for the undersea deployment of divers and special forces. Gordon declined to provide details of the mission.
The Navy sees the drones, also known as unmanned undersea vehicles, or UUVs, as a cost-effective way to extend the reach of its submarine fleet, which has been gradually shrinking in size since the end of the Cold War.