We propose single man underwater vehicles (attack submarines), which have inflatable Airbags using CO2 cartridges for rapid ascent. The design of these vehicles will encompass bended material, which makes rings underneath resembling typical designs of small hydrofoils. These rings will be attached at the body and extend down ward and be attached in the center to themselves. The vehicle will be propelled by an onboard that will distribute the energy to two propellers on above the vehicle and one below. The bottom propeller will be at the lower level of the connected rings. The motor will be at the feet of the laying down facing forward operator. The underwater vehicle will be shaped similar to a short winged manta ray. Once the mini submarine surfaces it will accelerate up onto the step. Like a single hulled floatplane as the speed increases it will raise up on the rings. The rings will have strakes as part of their structure throughout.

When the mini sub is ready to rise it will deploy the CO2 lever, which will expand the leading edge of the front of the manta ray mini wings, thus thrusting it up to the surface. Once the sub is above water and up on the rings it will fly and use the ground cushion to accelerate and pick up speed. The rings will release the attachment at the bottom and become thin airfoils, the front will become a canard which will be facing slightly forward ahead of where the wings become one with the fuselage allowing airflow to meet the wing, think of what we had learned with NASA and the X-29. The rear ring will become a horizontal stabilizer and use laminar flow to guide the air to the propellers, which will be automatically spun from vertical alignment to a horizontal alignment.

For a shape picture the Testor's Model of the much-mystified Roswell, NM UFO crashed ship.

http://www.ehobbies.com/tes555.html

http://www.alienufoart.com/RoswellUFO.htm

We propose this shape for it's obvious design which will work well underwater like a Manta Ray, but also perform well during the critical transition period from hydrofoil to ground cushion flight. Plus it just looks so cool? We believe that by adding controllable forward facing canard we can add accelerated airflow and controllability a low speed and high speed. We are also intrigued by the possibilities of stealth.

Once the vehicle becomes airborne and up to speed the leading edge ballooned shape can retreat and the leading edge fall back into it's seam. We conceive this unit at flying near or faster than supersonic speeds. Once at it's destination the pilot soldier, can again slow the craft down and re-deploy the inflated leading edge for aerial surveying, loitering or to parachute into the area.

The cargo, the human will be able to drop out the bottom, picture the B-2 bomb bay doors. The human will fall out the bottom, his gear below his feet and the pod and the parachute will deploy behind his neck, thus he will descend feet first to the ground. The Aircraft will become a UAV and from there be flown entirely by satellite back to the water to be picked up by ship or remain loitering until fuel is exhausted and then return.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs