Helicopter-deployed uncrewed vehicles for mine warfare and ASW

Could a helicopter deploy and a ship recover an uncrewed underwater vehicle for anti-submarine and mine warfare?

Yes, a vehicle of roughly torpedo size is considered plausible. The difficult part is safely recovering it after operations involving explosives in salt water.

A helicopter-deployed uncrewed underwater vehicle is considered plausible at roughly torpedo size. Potential roles include approaching mines, imitating a large magnetic target, or carrying a charge against an underwater target. Clarke recalls seeing a conference video proposing an increased magnetic signature to trigger mines and direct high-voltage transfer to disable them. These remain proposed methods, and the electrical approach is discussed as more promising against tethered mines than freely drifting ones. Recoverability complicates the design because a vehicle returning from salt water with an armed explosive charge requires particularly careful handling. Recovering a torpedo without an armed warhead creates a different safety problem from bringing an armed weapon back aboard.