Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has progressed rapidly in the past fifty years and is now used in many
industrial fields, such as air, space, and marine engineering. CFD has an irreplaceable role in marine design and
scientific research, and its applications within this field continue to grow with the development of computers.
CFD is used to quickly and inexpensively simulate fluid behaviour using the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes
(RANS) equations to calculate hydrodynamic coefficients, which are needed in manoeuvrability studies of
underwater vehicles (UWV). Here, these computations are performed for six geometrical shapes that represent
typical autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) currently in use. Resistance test simulations at up to 20o drift
angles were conducted for AUVs with different length-to-diameter ratios. The results were compared with the
experimental data and current quasi-experimental relationships, which suggested that the CFD predictions were
adequately precise and accurate. These predictions indicated that there was a non-linear relationship between
forces and moments and the lateral speed. Moreover, both linear and non-linear hydrodynamic coefficients were
calculated.