The Russian industry has completed the modernization of the unique uninhabited autonomous deep-water complex "Vityaz-D".

This was stated by the Director General of the Foundation for Advanced Study (FPI) Andrey Grigoriev.

According to him, the drone received enhanced functionality.

“The uninhabited underwater robotic complex Vityaz-D has been modernized in terms of expanding its functionality.

In fact, now it includes two devices, which allows continuous work in a given area, ”Grigoriev said in an interview with TASS.

Tests of an advanced underwater drone took place in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean.

As previously reported, an improved version of the Vityaz-D complex will be supplied to the RF Ministry of Defense and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The drone will receive additional equipment and improved video surveillance systems.

Vityaz-D is a joint brainchild of the FPI and the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (part of USC).

“The main technological tasks of the project were the development of structural materials that provide the necessary strength characteristics and buoyancy of autonomous ultra-deep-submersible vehicles, and the creation for them of means and methods of navigation, communication, control, and the necessary payload,” the FPI website says.  

According to USC, in the course of the project, Russian engineers created unique composite materials, ultra-deep-water sonar equipment, as well as "complex control systems that include elements of artificial intelligence."

"In a wide range of depths"

Recall that Vityaz-D gained worldwide fame in May 2020, after it successfully reached the bottom of the famous Mariana Trench.

This depression is located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean at the junction of two lithospheric plates and is the deepest point in the World Ocean.

The bottom of the Mariana Trench is divided by rapids into several closed sections 8–11 km deep.

The water pressure there reaches 108.6 megapascals (about 1.1 thousand atmospheres), which is almost 1.1 thousand times higher than the level of normal atmospheric pressure near the surface of the World Ocean.

  • "Vityaz-D" on deck

  • © Central Design Bureau MT "Rubin"

"Vityaz-D" sank to the bottom of the Mariana Trench on May 8, 2020 at 22:34 Moscow time.

The drone's sensors recorded a depth of 10,028 m.

“The device carried out mapping, photo and video shooting of the seabed, studied the parameters of the marine environment.

The duration of the mission, excluding diving and ascent to the surface, was more than three hours, ”the FPI materials say.

Thus, Vityaz-D became the world's first fully autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle to reach the deepest point of the oceans.

According to Rubin, the unique drone can be used for surveillance, search and research tasks in the entire depth range - up to 12 km.

In addition, it performs the function of a marine laboratory - the device can be used to develop technologies for creating promising uninhabited underwater systems.

The length of the Vityaz-D drone is 5.7 m, the diameter is 1.3 m, and the weight is 5.7 tons. The complex includes an uninhabited vehicle itself, a hydroacoustic bottom communication and navigation station, and ship control equipment.

All tasks are performed offline.

In a RT commentary, the head of the laboratory for deep-sea habitable vehicles of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Anatoly Sagalevich said that Vityaz-D is a great achievement of the Russian shipbuilding industry. 

Vityaz-D is a truly unique vehicle, a great achievement of our engineers.

There are not many countries in the world that can create deep-sea technology.

The manufacture of the Vityaz-D complex and other devices indicates that Russia has a good engineering school in this area, ”Sagalevich emphasized.

Mini-submarines from "Malachite"

Another unique operating domestic deep-sea complex is the Consul mini-submarine, built at the Admiralty Shipyards according to project 16811 of the Malachite Marine Design Bureau.

The device belongs to the class of habitable, its crew consists of two people.

The operating autonomy of the life support system reaches 12 hours.

"Consul" is designed to perform a wide range of tasks at depths up to 6 km.

Its functionality includes television, photo and video filming, geological exploration, monitoring the status of various offshore pipelines, underwater technical and emergency rescue operations.

  • Apparatus "Consul"

  • © Telegram-channel of USC JSC

Also, "Consul" is able to install and lift various objects.

To do this, the drone is equipped with a manipulator, and the carrier ship is equipped with lifting equipment.

“With the help of manipulator devices, the device is capable of performing underwater technical work, delivering to the ground or lifting objects weighing up to 200 kg to the surface,” the USC materials say.

The mass of the "Consul" is about 25 tons, length - 8.4 m, width - 3.9 m, height - 3.85 m, full underwater horizontal speed - 2.6 knots (about 4.82 km / h).

From the USC information it follows that the complex is used on the Yantar research vessel of the Navy of project 22010. 

Project 03660 Yason mini-submarine will be the newest manned submersible in Russia.

At the end of June 2022, the machine was laid down in Severodvinsk at the Sevmash Production Association (Northern Machine-Building Enterprise) by order of Gazprom Transgaz St. Petersburg LLC.

Like the Consul, the Jason was designed by the Malachite bureau.

The device is capable of performing tasks at depths within 2250 m. The submarine can be used in fresh and sea water in unlimited navigation areas.

Previously, products of this kind were not built in Russia.

According to the customer, the Jason is required for seabed surveys and "works in a wide range of depths, including repair and restoration and transport operations, scientific research and rescue operations."

It is expected that the mini-submarine will move at a speed of three knots (about 5.6 km / h) and work without interruption for 12 hours.

As reported in the materials of Sevmash, the complex will receive a durable spherical hull and will be equipped with "submersible equipment, a set of attachments, a hydraulic manipulator complex, unique in its characteristics."

  • Model of the Yason submersible

  • © Telegram-channel of USC JSC

OOO Gazprom transgaz St. Petersburg is showing great interest in another Malachite project - a complex with a remote-controlled uninhabited underwater vehicle (RTNPA).

It is currently at the design stage.

This machine is designed to perform work on the arrangement and operation of objects of the underwater production system at depths of up to 3 km.

It is assumed that KTNPA will consist of a remote-controlled drone, a hydroacoustic positioning system, controls, a deep-sea diving device and other equipment.

The complex was presented at the Arctic: Present and Future forum held in St. Petersburg in December.

As RT explained in Malachite on the sidelines of this event, KTNPA is necessary for companies producing gas at sea depths.

In Russia, this is primarily the Kirinskoye gas condensate field (Sea of ​​Okhotsk).

After descent into the water, the product is able to work for 30 years.

Dive into the unknown

According to Anatoly Sagalevich, Russian deep-sea equipment is in demand for a wide range of tasks in science and the mining sector. 

“Scientists need deep-sea technology to study the World Ocean, which occupies two-thirds of our planet.

This is how living organisms are studied, hydrophysical measurements, geochemical studies are carried out, geological samples are taken.

The industry needs deep-sea submersibles for exploration, development of energy resources, operation of pipelines,” said Sagalevich.

At the same time, as the scientist notes, in any study it is desirable to use both manned and robotic underwater systems.

“Uninhabited vehicles are in demand when it is necessary to conduct some kind of reconnaissance, to plunge into the unknown, when there are risks for humans.

However, a detailed study or the performance of any complex technical work underwater without a person is not yet possible, ”Sagalevich explained.

Deep-sea submersibles also carry out a wide range of tasks for defensive needs.

As military observer Alexander Khrolenko said in an interview with RT, we are talking about protecting pipelines, which became especially relevant after the sabotage at Nord Stream.

However, the expert called the mapping of the seabed the most important function of such a technique.

“Even with the development of modern technologies, the ocean floor, its relief remains terra incognita (“unknown land.” -

RT

).

Qualitatively compiled maps allow submarine forces to operate without being tied to land and satellite navigation.

Thus, their maximum secrecy is ensured, ”summed up Khrolenko.