Andrews 



CURV had been successfully tested to 2800 feet. A demonstration 

 recovery of a dummy shape was successfully completed at a depth of 

 10^0 feet off Palomares . GURV was to be operated to affijx the lift- 

 ing attachments. Three lifting lines were to be used with one of the 

 three lines as a lazy tether long enough to remain attached should 

 failure occur and send the weapon to the deepest canyon. In the act 

 of attaching the third line, CURV itself became entangled in the 

 weapon parachute. The bomb and the GURV were hauled up together. 

 Figure llj. shows the GURV in action. GURV is an unmanned, self-pro- 

 pelled tethered vehicle with 5 basic systems (hydraulic, propulsion, 

 sonar, claw, and optical) to carry out its location and retrieval 

 function. It is described in detail in both the interim and final 

 report. 



The significant conclusions from the recovery operation were: 



1. The underwater tracking system (UTE) mounted on USNS MIZAR 

 was a vital factor in the recovery operation enabling the weapon once 

 located to be revisited time and time again. Thus ALVIN, ALUMNAUT, 

 the POODL, and CURV were all vectored to the site of the bomb on 

 various occasions. UTE navigation errors were on the order of - 80 

 feet. 



2. The necessity to separate surface motions from the motions 

 of the submerged recovery device, stated by Craven and Searle", was 

 in evidence at all times during the recovery. For example Plan 

 ALFA AND BRAVO failed because the systems used could not account 

 adequately for this relative motion. 



3. The use of an unmanned, remotely operated, tethered vehicle 

 solved the relative motion problem between surface and attachment, 

 and in addition, decreased the safety hazard one would encounter 

 with a manned vehicle. 



U. The manned vehicles were extremely useful for human 

 observations and study of the target recovery situation. In 

 addition ALVIN was successful at making attachments to the weapon. 



The major "recovery" recommendations were: 



Continue development on methods employing an intermediate 

 mass or other means to decouple surface action. Such 

 development shoiild consider both manned and unmanned 

 vehicles . 



Develop a general purpose tool kit for both manned and 

 unmanned vehicles to include: 



Line cutters, penetrating attachments, detachable 

 claws with adjustable grab, latching grapnels. 



Manipulator development should emphasize dexterity, weight 

 capability, and two handed function. 



26 



