WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has tested a new mini-submarine that could be deployed to guard against unconventional warfare by Iran in the Gulf.

The navy has overseen a project to develop an unmanned underwater vehicle that could be recovered by a submerged submarine. The platform was meant to operate in the shallow waters of the Gulf to guard against saboteurs.

The AN/BLQ-11 UUV has been developed by Boeing. For the first time, the company demonstrated UUV recovery by a submarine.

"This milestone represents a critical next step for the U.S. Navy and opens the door for a whole new set of advanced submarine missions," Dan Jones, director of Boeing Advanced Information Systems, said.

During tests in late 2007, a U.S. Navy attack submarine launched the AN/BLQ-11 from one of the vessel's torpedo tubes. AN/BLQ-11, formerly the Long-term Mine Reconnaissance System, returned to the submarine, where the system's robotic arm retrieved the probe into the mother vessel.

"With this recent success, Boeing has taken another important step in UUV development by demonstrating that the unmanned vehicle can return to the submarine and be recovered by a robotic arm," Jones said.

Executives said the retrieval was conducted during the UUVs first attempt. They said two days later another successful demonstration took place.

"The AN/BLQ-11 system demonstrated all of the elements required for a complete UUV launch and recovery evolution," Boeing said on Nov. 26, 2007. "The U.S. Navy then secured from testing after having met all test objectives in half the allotted time."

In 1999, the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Undersea Vehicle program office selected Boeing to work on the program. AN/BLQ-11 was designed for launch from the host submarine's torpedo tube to survey, detect and gather data on such underwater threats as mines.

After completing its mission, the UUV docks with a robotic arm that extends from another of the host submarine's torpedo tubes for recovery through the launch tube. Executives said the system enables operators to retrieve data from the vehicle and prepare for re-launch.

During the tests, AN/BLQ-11 also performed several complex vehicle maneuvers such as station-keeping and operating underwater alongside the host submarine. Executives said the tests supported the navy's decision to pursue development of 21-inch diameter submarine-deployed UUVs.

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