Graham Hawkes
Encyclopedia
Graham Hawkes is a London
-born marine engineer and submarine
designer
. Through the 1980s and 1990s, Hawkes designed 70% of the manned submersibles produced in those two decades. As late as 2007, he held the world solo dive record of 3000 feet (914.4 m) in the submarine Deep Rover.
Hawkes invented the first robotic machine gun, the Telepresent Rapid Aiming Platform (TRAP), the first weapon he designed. He had been inspired to create a safer way for police to deal with situations after watching a shootout
in North Hollywood, Los Angeles on television.
film
"For Your Eyes Only
", which he himself piloted.
Hawkes founded the San Leandro based firm, Deep Ocean Engineering (DOE), in 1981 with Sylvia Earle
, his wife from 1986 to 1992. DOE has produced over 300 ROVs.
In 1981, he designed the first of the Deep Rover-series of 1- and 2-man submersibles. A Deep Rover submarine was used in the 3-D IMAX
film "Aliens of the Deep
". In the same year, Hawkes founded Deep Ocean Technology (DOT) with Earle.
By 1982, he had completed the Challenger submersible, capable of diving 5000 feet (1,524 m).
Hawkes left the day-to-day operations of Deep Ocean Engineering to found Hawkes Ocean Technologies
(HOT), with his third wife, Karen Hawkes, in 1996. Hawkes became the San Francisco headquartered company's marketing manager. HOT launched the Necker Nymph
and DeepFlight Super Falcon
which Hawkes designed.
Hawkes completed the design for the Deep Flight II two-person submarine in 1998.
In 2000, he completed the DeepFlight Aviator, the first positively buoyant submersible that relies on hydrodynamic forces on its wings for diving. It was also the first research submersible to attain a speed of 10 mph underwater. The first example of the type is called Spirit of Patrick.
In 2008, Hawkes finished the first example of his design DeepFlight Super Falcon
, which he subsequently delivered to venture capitalist Tom Perkins.
In 2010, the first example of his DeepFlight Merlin
design was compeleted and delivered to Richard Branson
. It was named the Necker Nymph
and is a wet sub
marine that is positively buoyant and utilizes hydrodynamic forces to dive. It is also capable of hydrobatic maneuvers.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-born marine engineer and submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
. Through the 1980s and 1990s, Hawkes designed 70% of the manned submersibles produced in those two decades. As late as 2007, he held the world solo dive record of 3000 feet (914.4 m) in the submarine Deep Rover.
Hawkes invented the first robotic machine gun, the Telepresent Rapid Aiming Platform (TRAP), the first weapon he designed. He had been inspired to create a safer way for police to deal with situations after watching a shootout
North Hollywood shootout
The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997...
in North Hollywood, Los Angeles on television.
Career
In 1976, Hawkes designed the one-atmosphere deep diving suit Wasp. Two years later, he designed the one-man microsubmersible Mantis, which included remote manipulator arms. A Mantis sub was used in the James BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film
James Bond (film series)
The James Bond film series is a British series of motion pictures based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond , who originally appeared in a series of books by Ian Fleming. Earlier films were based on Fleming's novels and short stories, followed later by films with original storylines...
"For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only (film)
For Your Eyes Only is the twelfth spy film in the James Bond series and the fifth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It marked the directorial debut of John Glen, who had worked as editor and second unit director in three other Bond films. The screenplay by Richard Maibaum...
", which he himself piloted.
Hawkes founded the San Leandro based firm, Deep Ocean Engineering (DOE), in 1981 with Sylvia Earle
Sylvia Earle
Sylvia Alice Earle is an American oceanographer. She was chief scientist for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 1990–1992. She is a National Geographic explorer-in-residence, sometimes called "Her Deepness" or "The Sturgeon General".-Education and career:Earle received a...
, his wife from 1986 to 1992. DOE has produced over 300 ROVs.
In 1981, he designed the first of the Deep Rover-series of 1- and 2-man submersibles. A Deep Rover submarine was used in the 3-D IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
film "Aliens of the Deep
Aliens of the Deep
Aliens of the Deep is a 2005 documentary film, directed in part by James Cameron alongside fellow cameraman Steven Quale, who would later go on to direct Final Destination 5 six years later, and filmed in the IMAX 3D format. It was produced by Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures...
". In the same year, Hawkes founded Deep Ocean Technology (DOT) with Earle.
By 1982, he had completed the Challenger submersible, capable of diving 5000 feet (1,524 m).
Hawkes left the day-to-day operations of Deep Ocean Engineering to found Hawkes Ocean Technologies
Hawkes Ocean Technologies
Hawkes Ocean Technologies is a marine engineering firm that specializes in consumer submarines, founded by Graham Hawkes. It is headquartered in San Francisco.-Hawkes Remotes:...
(HOT), with his third wife, Karen Hawkes, in 1996. Hawkes became the San Francisco headquartered company's marketing manager. HOT launched the Necker Nymph
Necker Nymph
Necker Nymph is an open-cockpit submersible vehicle that relies on hydrodynamic forces for anti-lift force, and is positively buoyant. It is the initial example of the DeepFlight Merlin class of submersibles manufactured by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, based on the DeepFlight submersible technology...
and DeepFlight Super Falcon
DeepFlight Super Falcon
The DeepFlight Super Falcon is a personal submarine designed by Graham Hawkes, a former civilian ocean engineer. It was hoped that the technology used in this submersible would allow travel to the deepest parts of the ocean.- Development :...
which Hawkes designed.
Hawkes completed the design for the Deep Flight II two-person submarine in 1998.
In 2000, he completed the DeepFlight Aviator, the first positively buoyant submersible that relies on hydrodynamic forces on its wings for diving. It was also the first research submersible to attain a speed of 10 mph underwater. The first example of the type is called Spirit of Patrick.
In 2008, Hawkes finished the first example of his design DeepFlight Super Falcon
DeepFlight Super Falcon
The DeepFlight Super Falcon is a personal submarine designed by Graham Hawkes, a former civilian ocean engineer. It was hoped that the technology used in this submersible would allow travel to the deepest parts of the ocean.- Development :...
, which he subsequently delivered to venture capitalist Tom Perkins.
In 2010, the first example of his DeepFlight Merlin
DeepFlight Merlin
DeepFlight Merlin is a personal submersible by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, part of the DeepFlight line of submersibles. The positively buoyant "aero submarine" was designed by Graham Hawkes...
design was compeleted and delivered to Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
. It was named the Necker Nymph
Necker Nymph
Necker Nymph is an open-cockpit submersible vehicle that relies on hydrodynamic forces for anti-lift force, and is positively buoyant. It is the initial example of the DeepFlight Merlin class of submersibles manufactured by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, based on the DeepFlight submersible technology...
and is a wet sub
Wet sub
A wet sub is a type of underwater vehicle that does not provide a dry environment for its occupants. Usually, wet suited scuba divers will ride upon the device , although it can be designed to fully enclose its occupant to provide lower drag...
marine that is positively buoyant and utilizes hydrodynamic forces to dive. It is also capable of hydrobatic maneuvers.