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W-ROV for Science, Underwater Building, Oil and Gas Production

Rubin Design Bureau unveils at the Army-24 show a model of a remotely operated unmanned underwater vehicle WHALE-3000.

WHALE is a work class ROV. It will fetch an equipment from surface and install it at the target point. Using two manipulators, WHALE will fulfil assembly work, stretch an electrical cable and plug it; switch an oil and gas transportation system.

Maximum automated control makes operator's work easy. For instance, the ROV maintains mostly autonomously the given depth and track.

The WHALE manipulators have removable grippers allowing the ROV to manage a wide range of tasks. Submerged, WHALE can cut and weld pipes, clean infrastructure from fouling and siltation, install vacuum anchors that will hold large underwater constructions; cut cables and wires. High-definition video cameras and ultra-powerful LED lights ensure operation with total absence of sunlight. Thereby WHALE is useful in underwater building, maintenance of sea pipelines, drilling and production platforms. It can be used for rescue operations. Its depth rating is up to 3 kilometers.

WHALE may assist in scientific research. Its grippers will grab samples of polymetallic nodules and biological samples from the bottom to the ROV removable basket.

ROV is about 3 meters long and about 1.8 meters wide; height slightly exceeds two meters. WHALE is transported in a standard 20-foot container. Composite materials helped to reduce ROV weight to five tons. WHALE is designed with the use of 3D modeling, which significantly simplifies the process of its production.