“Sea Baby” Ukrainian drone vessel

[JDCAVE]

This showed up on my “radar”

https://www.businessinsider.com/sea...ntal-sea-drone-russia-black-sea-fleet-2023-10

“…The Sea Baby can withstand stormy weather

The experimental sea drone is able to operate in stormy conditions and hide behind high waves to avoid detection, according to New Voice, an independent digital news outlet based in Kyiv.”

I’m guessing the target is lost in the “sea clutter”. I’m sure that advanced systems and well trained and alert radar operators may be able to identify such targets, but from my own experience with radar, it’s a significant challenge, even with anti sea clutter ramped up, and it seems it is clearly so for Russian systems and operators.

I’m curious if any navy veterans can comment on this. I’m sure US systems and radar operators would be much more capable than their Russian counterparts.

Jim

 

[SteveK]

I don't see it hiding from radar if it reflects radar unless there is a lot of clutter. It can t be hiding behind a wave on every radar sweep.

 

[psneeld]

I don't see it hiding from radar if it reflects radar unless there is a lot of clutter. It can t be hiding behind a wave on every radar sweep.

No but it can blend in to the point of not being noticed.

Have run many an inlet with small buoys that on nice days provide a great return but on sloppy days are almost impossible to detect in the clutter.

 

[DBG8492]

My Boat Unit in the Navy had small boats called the SeaFox - the friendly name for Special Warfare Craft Light (SWCL for short).

https://www.warboats.org/seafox.htm

They were squatty little boats - very low profile - powered by a couple of souped-up Detroits. With just the crew on board, they were pretty quick, but with a SEAL team and their gear aboard, they were not quite as fast.

They were painted with a special paint designed to be "stealthy" but not radar invisible. The trick to staying undetected was working in the dark and living in the trough as much as possible. In rough seas, even the most seasoned veteran radar operator would be completely blind to their existence right up to the point where it was on top of them - and even then, they were likely to miss it.

Once when playing the Red Team during a training exercise where two patrol boats were guarding a "tanker," we were able to get two Seafoxes into the perimeter and not only attack the target, but get away completely undetected. I was close enough to lob softballs on the deck. If we had had a boatload of RPGs, the "tanker" would have been toast.

But we're talking late 80s early 90s radar tech. Not sure how effective they would be today given modern detection systems.

 

[JDCAVE]

Thanks for that DBG. Very informative. I agree. I suspect there might be better technology today, but my sea clutter filter is particularly ineffective. When combined with the anti rain clutter, it’s a bit better. But…

 

[AKDoug]

As a former Navy radar operator, lots gets lost in "clutter" and signals that are intermittent are often overlooked. I am sure new radar systems are much improved however...

 

[dannc]

The Ukrainians are also supposed to have a small drone sub that only has a small communication extension at the surface. To call it a conning tower would make it seem much bigger than reality. They think this has already hit some Russian ships. Not much damage was done from what could be seen but enough for a mission kill.

I think I saw it on one of the Ukrainian YouTube channels I watch since I can't find the story elsewhere.

The sub kinda looks like a long small tube underwater with an perpendicular section that went to the surface. It would not have much explosives, likely moves very slowly, but it would be very difficult to detect.

Later,
Dan

 

[FWT]

Australia has drone subs. That's in open print media.

If they do, I have to believe we do.

 

[dannc]

Australia has drone subs. That's in open print media.

If they do, I have to believe we do.

Yes, the US has a variety of drone subs but none of them look like what the Ukrainians created. :lol: It is really crazy looking but it seems to have hit at least one Russian ship and maybe more.

Later,
Dan