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UK Royal Navy unveils futuristic ray-shaped submarine concept.


| 2020

The Royal Navy has unveiled a series of futuristic submarine concepts which mimic real marine lifeforms and radically change the way underwater warfare could look in 50 years.


UK Royal Navy unveils futuristic ray shaped submarine concept 925 001 A computer-generated concept design of the "Mothership" (Picture source: UK MoD)


The whale shark/manta ray-shaped mothership would be built from super-strong alloys and acrylics, with surfaces which can morph in shape. With hybrid algae-electric cruising power and propulsion technologies including tunnel drives which work similarly to a Dyson bladeless fan, the submarine could travel at unprecedented speeds of up to 150 knots.

Role: Act as a major command and control hub, information collector and disseminator, weapon carrier, and underwater flagship.

Build: Its 3D-printed hull would be a combination of light but strong acrylic materials bonded to super-strong alloys capable of withstanding the extreme pressure of depths of 1000m or more.

Sound: Anechoic coatings, which deaden sound and reduce enemy submarines' sonar returns, would be created with nanometer-thin graphene scales which would be layered to create an outer skin. The scales would be bonded together with a piezoelectric material allowing dynamic control of the scales. This would allow real-time alignment of the scales to reduce drag in transit and absorb sound during silent operations.

Crew: Reduced crew of around 20 people, capable of brain-computer control of the submarine's command system.

Weapons and sensors: Advanced multi-spectral, low power, active and passive sensors moulded into its hull to help hunt for enemy vessels. A recovery bay in the underside would act as a docking station for the transfer of people, weapons payloads and general stores, and weapons bays integrated into the top of the submarine.


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