During WWII, both the Brits and the Nazis deployed rescue buoys in the English Channel...equipped for light housekeeping, first aid, blankets, they were available on demand and crews who managed to access one were picked up by rescue boats.
If it can carry someone back to the ship from the rescue site, I bet it can carry someone from the ship to the rescue site. It’s a drone; the people on it are passengers, not really crew who have to operate it.
The ‘passenger’ waiting on board before a call to rescue will need at a minimum a toilet, a real seat, and more shelter than the rescued alone would. Requiring more than a 48 hour wait/watch would add even more.
A reason to keep building Flight I Legends (when we finally start building them); have them control a few of these boats and shuttle recovered crews to an airfield or another ship.
Nothing better than an unexpected solution to a long standing problem.
And wouldn't hurt to spin a bit of PR into it too and add a SOLAS angle to it. That disabled sailboat adrift with a family of 4 would probably be just as happy to one...
I recently was at a presentation by Saronic, they were pushing one of these a day out the door at their factory in Austin at the time. They're up to around 500 produced or so.
Helping a person who is totally unable to help themselves is likely out of the picture. However, I can envision one of these boats being able to launch a smallish cargo net over the side that an injured person could use to climb aboard.
Over 500 pilots recovered this way. Often times submarines offered the only way to recover a pilot from a contested area. Catalinas saved more in total numbers but the fleet submarines did yeoman service executing this secondary duty. Arguably, the amount of training invested in aircrew today far exceeds previous generations making their recovery of even greater importance.
This particular recovery is impressive and I do hope that someone is paying attention and considering how similar success could be accomplished in the vast seas inside the first island chain which will be highly contested.
Agree, picking up aircrew is more important now that in WWII as each represents a larger percentage of the overall force.
FWIW, family lore on the wife's side says her father, a PBY flight engineer, pulled her uncle, a USAAF pilot out of the water sometime in the later part of WWII.
Great hardware news! But and there is always a but, IMO there is no chance, zero, of a Great Pacific War in the next several years. The Iran War may well be remembered as the Great Unmasking. Can anyone imagine our current leadership, both civilian and military, rushing to fight China to rescue Taiwan? Xi may well be eyeballing April and October 2027, the months of the year in which the weather in the Taiwan Strait is most conducive to an amphibious invasion. Mark your calendars. YMMV.
Refresh my memory. Why do we think, other than for idealistic purposes, that America going to war against China for a small island of little consequence, that is 6,000 miles away from us, is in America's best interest? Would the Founding Fathers agree with that decision?
That’s where my mind went as well. The John Wayne movie about PT boats was called “They Were Expendable”, which certainly fits these craft. The temptation, of course, is for the Good Idea Fairies to bolt on more “capability”, and in doing so, reduce their capability to complete a single primary mission. The WW2 boats suffered from that. A better idea would be to build variants for different missions - rescue, ISR, attack. Maybe this could be the opportunity to do modular correctly, v. the LCS debacle, a possibility if you were absolutely ruthless in holding the line on platform speed, range, displacement, and stability.
"The American people and their elected representatives will not tolerate a shrugging of the shoulders and a “we didn’t expect this” response."
I strongly suspect that in case of Sino-American war, the mounting casualties of just the first few days of fighting - American warships sunk, American bases destroyed, American mainland likely hit at least with token attacks, American economy shaking like never before - the fate of downed pilots would not even drive the media attention much, far less public attention.
It's awesome that we have this capability. Having looked at the pictures of the boat, I'd be curious about the details of the rescue. How did the aviators know this was a rescue boat? Had they ever seen these drones before the rescue? How did they get on board? Where did they go on the boat - are those hatches where they can access interior space or do they just find room on the deck and hold on as best they can?
The trick is dropping and being able to then oroceed without a human jumping out with it. Combat craft assault and navasl special warfare rhibs need some assembly in the water by their crew.
Agree. I think it would be fairly easy to design a spring-loaded mechanism to raise the mast that is tripped by the same action that disposes of the parachute.
Go Navy, save Army. Great post.
From a retired Army Aviator…BZ Navy!
Just keep in mind that in this instance the aircrew were in a condition to board on their own.
Having said that? Gotta' run what ya' brung and any asset is better than none.
During WWII, both the Brits and the Nazis deployed rescue buoys in the English Channel...equipped for light housekeeping, first aid, blankets, they were available on demand and crews who managed to access one were picked up by rescue boats.
https://www.theshipyardblog.com/bobbing-havens-rescue-buoys-of-wwii/
Those buoys were not manned.
A manned boat is probably better than an unmanned boat, but any boat is better than no boat.
Some sort of robotic AI hoist kept in an egg until deployed could be developed...
Or, you could put a crewman or two on to assist with the rescue as needed.
That adds a lot of complexity.
If it can carry someone back to the ship from the rescue site, I bet it can carry someone from the ship to the rescue site. It’s a drone; the people on it are passengers, not really crew who have to operate it.
The ‘passenger’ waiting on board before a call to rescue will need at a minimum a toilet, a real seat, and more shelter than the rescued alone would. Requiring more than a 48 hour wait/watch would add even more.
Fair point if it’s loitering. I was thinking more direct dispatch. Hopefully both will be part of the mix.
Or drop a PJ or rescue swimmer
A reason to keep building Flight I Legends (when we finally start building them); have them control a few of these boats and shuttle recovered crews to an airfield or another ship.
My first thought was what a great idea.
My 2nd thought was how the drone boat handles injured or unconcious rescues?
BZ Navy !
Nothing better than an unexpected solution to a long standing problem.
And wouldn't hurt to spin a bit of PR into it too and add a SOLAS angle to it. That disabled sailboat adrift with a family of 4 would probably be just as happy to one...
I recently was at a presentation by Saronic, they were pushing one of these a day out the door at their factory in Austin at the time. They're up to around 500 produced or so.
They have a new facility off Pacific Coast Highway and Sports Arena Blvd in San Diego.
Having just been on a WW2 Convoy binge:
Greyhound
The Cruel Sea
In Which We Serve
Yeah, I know the North Atlantic may be colder, but this Army guy with a bit of offshore racing asks:
Are we designing these cool new boats so that a single injured man can board in any reasonable Yellow sea, sea state?
Helping a person who is totally unable to help themselves is likely out of the picture. However, I can envision one of these boats being able to launch a smallish cargo net over the side that an injured person could use to climb aboard.
Definitely thinking outside the box, the applications are endless.
I recently saw some Corsairs darting around San Diego Bay and off Coronado Island, now I'll pay closer attention.
I'm just wondering if they come equipped with continental or a full breakfast.
I am so glad to see a nod given to the WW2 lifeguard missions.
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2014/fall/submarine-lifeguards
Over 500 pilots recovered this way. Often times submarines offered the only way to recover a pilot from a contested area. Catalinas saved more in total numbers but the fleet submarines did yeoman service executing this secondary duty. Arguably, the amount of training invested in aircrew today far exceeds previous generations making their recovery of even greater importance.
This particular recovery is impressive and I do hope that someone is paying attention and considering how similar success could be accomplished in the vast seas inside the first island chain which will be highly contested.
Agree, picking up aircrew is more important now that in WWII as each represents a larger percentage of the overall force.
FWIW, family lore on the wife's side says her father, a PBY flight engineer, pulled her uncle, a USAAF pilot out of the water sometime in the later part of WWII.
Including a future President!
Great hardware news! But and there is always a but, IMO there is no chance, zero, of a Great Pacific War in the next several years. The Iran War may well be remembered as the Great Unmasking. Can anyone imagine our current leadership, both civilian and military, rushing to fight China to rescue Taiwan? Xi may well be eyeballing April and October 2027, the months of the year in which the weather in the Taiwan Strait is most conducive to an amphibious invasion. Mark your calendars. YMMV.
Refresh my memory. Why do we think, other than for idealistic purposes, that America going to war against China for a small island of little consequence, that is 6,000 miles away from us, is in America's best interest? Would the Founding Fathers agree with that decision?
Taiwan makes most of our “chips “ and really good bicycles.
If your still asking questions like that your REALLY not paying attention. Taiwan supplies critical infrastructure.
Other than chips, and aren't we on the way to making those chips outside of Taiwan?
Yep that’s the whole point of Elon’s Terrafab project.
How many of the chip fabs would survive in usable form after a few days of conflict?
Do you know that China needs TSMC Chips as much as we do?
TSMC has a plant in America now (AZ I think). South Korea and Japan can ramp up their production.
I do like and appreciate the bicycle angle.
If needs must, the Republic would survive.
Do we have any actual photos of the soldiers on the boat? I'm sure they exist I just don't know if they've been leaked or released yet.
24', 52' ... 78'. PTs are back, baby!
That’s where my mind went as well. The John Wayne movie about PT boats was called “They Were Expendable”, which certainly fits these craft. The temptation, of course, is for the Good Idea Fairies to bolt on more “capability”, and in doing so, reduce their capability to complete a single primary mission. The WW2 boats suffered from that. A better idea would be to build variants for different missions - rescue, ISR, attack. Maybe this could be the opportunity to do modular correctly, v. the LCS debacle, a possibility if you were absolutely ruthless in holding the line on platform speed, range, displacement, and stability.
IIRC the crews themselves modified the PT boats - mostly with more guns, for self defense.
"The American people and their elected representatives will not tolerate a shrugging of the shoulders and a “we didn’t expect this” response."
I strongly suspect that in case of Sino-American war, the mounting casualties of just the first few days of fighting - American warships sunk, American bases destroyed, American mainland likely hit at least with token attacks, American economy shaking like never before - the fate of downed pilots would not even drive the media attention much, far less public attention.
It's awesome that we have this capability. Having looked at the pictures of the boat, I'd be curious about the details of the rescue. How did the aviators know this was a rescue boat? Had they ever seen these drones before the rescue? How did they get on board? Where did they go on the boat - are those hatches where they can access interior space or do they just find room on the deck and hold on as best they can?
Very cool indeed.
Now, is it air-droppable?
I’m willing to bet that if the mast is foldable (or could be made to be), a C-130 could slide one out the back.
Depends on the beam and all-up weight with rigging. The website does not go into a lot of specifics - fuel type, weight, beam, draft, air draft, etc
The trick is dropping and being able to then oroceed without a human jumping out with it. Combat craft assault and navasl special warfare rhibs need some assembly in the water by their crew.
Agree. I think it would be fairly easy to design a spring-loaded mechanism to raise the mast that is tripped by the same action that disposes of the parachute.
Their is also the launch sled/pallet its tied onto to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOYleXm3hEM
Thanks. I rarely have a truly original idea.