OCEAN SCIENCES AND NATIONAL SECURITY S3 



placement of sea water, as an ordinary submarine does, rather than 

 through the use of artificial flotation.^^ 



High-strength aluminum alloys, among other new materials, offers 

 this promise, and it was with this background that the Aluminaut 

 concept, mentioned earlier, was evolved. Sponsored by Reynolds 

 Metals Company as a proprietary research program at the Southwest 

 Research Institute, the Aluminaut is now an accoraplished submarine 

 design. It is intended to operate to 15,000 feet, and with a range of 

 100 "miles, an endm-ance of two days, a crew of 3 and a payload of 

 scientific equipment weighing 2 or more tons. 



Equipment planned for the boat, incidentally, mcludes a pair of 

 remote manipulators (or prosthetic arms) which ^\ ill make it possible 

 for operators on the inside to pick up samples of minerals from the 

 ocean floor, possibly net specimens, and perform engineering services 

 by placing and maintaining devices on the ocean bottom. By operat- 

 ino- to 15,000 feet, the Aluminaut will be able to explore the ocean from 

 surface to bottom throughout 60 percent of its area. 



Briefly, the Aluminaut comprises a cylmdrical hull — -1 feet inside 

 diameter,' 6 inches thick, roughly 33 feet long — enclosed at both ends 

 by hemispherical shells. The "stern is fiu'ther tapered for stream- 

 lining and incorporates a propulsion and control capsule with diving 

 fins and a swiveling propeller. Propulsion would be accomplished by 

 silver-zinc storage batteries.^^ . , , i . ^ 



When the project was initiated, it was recognized that the usefulness 

 of a research vehicle would depend heavily on its being tailormade for 

 oceanographic research. As consequence, contact was estabhshed by 

 the designers vdth. the Office of Naval Research through which con- 

 tinuing advice and consultation were offered to establish performance 

 characteristics that would render the vehicle useful for studies in the 

 ocean. While not intended for use as a combat vehicle, operation at 

 15,000 feet should prove highly interesting to naval planners. 



With the design successfully completed late m 1959 and predictions 

 of strength confu-med by tests of structural models early in 1960, steps 

 are reported as being taken bv which the vehicle ^vill be constructed 

 and built by the Re^niolds Metals Co., but made available for oceano- 

 graphic research to the U.S. Nav\ . Comments on this program were 

 provided by Secretary Wakelin to the House Committee as follows : 



The Reynulds Metals Co. is designing and constructing the A[uminav,t a man- 

 ned deep research vehicle. It is designed to operate to a depth of 15,000 feet with 

 safety and convenience and with sufficient range, mobility, and endurance to 

 satisfy even the most demanding requirements for an oceanographic research 

 vehicle The Navy will initially assist in designing and providing for this cratt 

 its scientific instrumentation. The Office of Naval Research is considering a 

 proposal to lease the vehicle through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 

 Another pro<'Tam for a manned maneuverable undersea research vehicle is funded 

 in fiscal year 1961 This craft will be used to investigate problems m oceanog- 

 raphy concerning deep undersea miUtary applications and to assist in the design 

 and feasibilitv tests of hull, control, propulsion and other components direct'y 

 apphcable to "undersea vehicles for research, submarines or for weapon systems. 



There is no request for funds in the mihtary construction appropriation tor 

 oceanographic facilities in fiscal year 1961." 



M Feasibilitv studies of pressure hulls for deep diving submarines were first 'l^irie'.lout /or the Committee 

 nn TTndersea Warfare Xational Academv of Sciences-Xational Research Council, m 1 &o7-o8 by E \\ cnk Ji . 



M'^i^ol^MiShc Research Submarine of Aliuninium for Operation to 15 000 Feet," by E W'enk Jr., 

 R C DeHart?P M^del, and R. KLssingcr, presented before the Institution of Naval Architects, London. 

 Mar. 23, I960.' . ^ ^ „ .^ „, 



6< " Frontiers in Oceanic Research," op. cit., p. w. 



