The U.S. Navy Wants To Develop Bigger Robo-Ships

Concept design of an Austal unmanned/autonomous vessel offering. Austal concept art

National Defense: Navy, Industry Eager to Develop Bigger Robo-Ships

As the Navy’s first medium-sized robotic ship, Sea Hunter, sails the waters off the California coast, its next iteration is being built in a shipyard thousands of miles away in Mississippi.

Construction on Sea Hunter II will be completed by the end of the year, officials at lead contractor Leidos say.

The two robo-ships may be a harbinger of things to come as the Navy uses the prototypes to develop tactics, techniques and procedures and ponders how to integrate them into operations.

In 2017, the Official of Naval Research tasked Leidos to develop Sea Hunter II — an autonomous unmanned surface vehicle — with a $43.5 million contract to build the platform.

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WNU Editor: Congress is saying "slow-down" .... The Pentagon wants to forge ahead with robot warships, but Congress wants to slow the train (Defense News).

The U.S. Navy Is One Step Closer In Ushering In The Era Of Robotic Naval Warfare

Vocativ: U.S. Will Launch World’s Largest Underwater Battle Robot In 2018

The Sea Hunter will carry out three-month missions without any humans on board.

The United States just got one step closer to ushering in the era of robotic naval warfare.

A 132-foot autonomous submarine known as the Sea Hunter successfully completed its first performance test this week off the coast of San Diego, keeping it on course to enter the Navy fleet by 2018. According to a statement from Leidos—the company developing the Sea Hunter—the vessel “surpassed all performance objectives for speed, maneuverability, stability, seakeeping, acceleration/deceleration, and fuel consumption.”

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WNU Editor: The U.S. Navy is behind in the use of robots and unmanned systems .... but they are catching up.

The U.S. Navy's Anti-Submarine Robot Ship Are Set For Sea Trials This April

Daily Mail: The US Navy's 'ghost hunter' to set sail: 132 foot long robo-boat will scour seas for silent enemy submarines for months at a time - without a single person on board

* Designed to hunt down silent and deadly diesel-electric submarines
* Robot boats will go to sea for us to three months at a time
* Boat will be launched in April following successful trials

The US Navy is set to unleash an army of 'ghost boats' to scour the coasts for enemy submarines.

They hope to end the growing threat of quiet, diesel powered enemy submarines entering American waters undetected.

Bosses revealed the first 132 foot long ship, officially named 'The Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel' will take to the water on April 7th.

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Update: World’s Largest Anti-Submarine Robot Ship Ready for Sea-Trials in April (The Diplomat)

WNU Editor: I suspect that these robot ships will be very effective, and they will be a priority target in any future major conflict.

The U.S. Navy Wants A Navy Of Robots

The Navy's new "yellow submarine" is one robot already under development. Source: U.S. Navy.

Motley Fool: Who Wants a Robot Navy? The Pentagon Does!

A little-noticed contract gives a big clue to where the Pentagon is heading.

For years, we've been talking about the U.S. Navy's infatuation with robots -- everything from robotic helicopters to robotic fighter jets that can land on an aircraft carrier -- unaided. From swarming, remote-controlled small patrol boats sailing the seas to tiny submarines that look like fish.

Granted, many of the Navy's experiments in the realm of robotic seafaring so far have been limited in scope, and small in dollar value. But no more. This week, the Navy jumped into the robo-cean feet first.

WNU Editor: They are now spending the money .... which tells me that they are serious.

The U.S. Navy Robots Are Set To Be Deployed

Robots Join The Navy To Fight Fires At Sea -- FOX News

The Navy’s new humanoid robots can detect fires on a ship, withstand extreme heat up to 500 degrees, and fight the fire shoulder to shoulder with human firefighters.

Designed to fight shipboard fires at sea, the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, known as SAFFiR, is a human-sized robot. Under direction and funding from the Office of Naval Research, Naval Research Laboratory researchers have been working with university researchers to develop the tech.

SAFFiR is meant to move autonomously throughout a ship, learn its layout and patrol for structural problems. The robot will be able to interact with the sailors onboard, and take on many of their dangerous firefighting tasks.

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Update: Navy’s robot will interact with sailors, fight fires aboard ship -- Defense Systems

My Comment: This is a trend that I expect to continue.

The U.S. Navy Wants Drone Submarines

Although the drone is intended to chase away enemy subs, it will not be armed. Darpa

Drone Sub-Hunter To Patrol Seas -- Discovery News

Even without a captain at the helm, the Pentagon hopes this drone will chase down enemy subs.

Anti-submarine warfare has long been accomplished by steely-eyed captains who search the oceans before dropping countermeasures like depth charges or shipboard torpedoes to knock out enemy subs. The job requires skill and experience, plus the latest in sonar and radar technology.

But now the Pentagon wants to build a drone sub-hunter that can chase enemy craft for up to two months at a time without any human operator at the helm.

Instead of being launched at sea, as smaller ocean-going drones are at present, the "Continuous Trail Autonomous Vessel" will leave its berth, patrol along the U.S. coastline and then chase enemy subs until they leave. The only time a human will be involved is navigating the robot ship in and out of crowded harbors.

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My Comment: These robot subs will not be armed, but I suspect that this will change when confidence in the system builds. For more info on the US Navy's plans for other future weapon systems .... go here.

Here Comes The U.S. Navy's Robot Jellyfish

Robotic Jellyfish Fuelled By Hydrogen Invented -- BBC

Engineers in the US say they have invented a hydrogen-powered robot that moves through water like a jellyfish.

Development of the robot, nicknamed Robojelly, is in the early stages but researchers hope it could eventually be used in underwater rescue operations.

Writing in Smart Materials and Structures, Yonas Tadesse said the jellyfish's simple swimming action made it an ideal model for a vehicle.

Being fuelled by hydrogen means, in theory, it will not run out of energy.

Mr Tadesse, the lead author of the study, said: "To our knowledge, this is the first successful powering of an underwater robot using external hydrogen as a fuel source."

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More News On The US Navy's Development Of The Robot Jellyfish

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water: American scientists unleash robotic jellyfish -- Daily Mail
Jellyfish-Inspired Robot Runs on Hydrogen -- Discovery News
Robotic jellyfish may never run out of energy -- MSNBC
Ocean-powered robotic jellyfish could theoretically run forever -- Gizmag
Jellyfish inspires latest ocean-powered robot -- e! Science News
Robot jellyfish fuelled by hydrogen -- Physics World
Robot jellyfish sucks up power from the water -- New Scientist
Robojelly is a robot jellyfish -- UberGizmo
When the Earth is uninhabited, this robotic jellyfish will still be roaming the seas -- io9

How Will Aircraft Carrier Crews Guide In Robot Planes?

Video: Aircraft Carrier Crews Guide In Robot Planes With Visible Hand Gestures -- Popular Science

Landing airplanes on moving ships is no mean feat, but this will be especially true when the airplanes are unmanned. Along with making decisions, autonomous airplanes will have to heed their human counterparts during aircraft carrier takeoff and landing — but can a robot read and understand arm-waving signals?

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My Comment: Hmmmm .... what happens if the operator coughs while directing an unmanned plane?

U.S. Navy Catching Up With The Robot Revolution

U.S. Navy MQ-8 Fire Scout

The U.S. Navy's Belated Robot Revolution -- World Politics Review

It was an ignominious start for a potentially profound technological revolution. On June 21, 2011, a U.S. Navy MQ-8 Fire Scout robotic reconnaissance helicopter was shot down near Tripoli by forces loyal to then-Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The 24-foot-long, gray-painted drone was one of two launched from the frigate USS Halyburton and remotely controlled by operators aboard the vessel. Carrying classified sensors, the Fire Scouts likely helped detect targets for NATO forces flying top cover for Libyan rebels.

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My Comment: They are playing catchup to the Air Force and their UAV/robot program.

"Blackfish" The U.S. Navy's Remote-Controlled Robot

"Blackfish" The U.S. Navy's Remote-Controlled Jet Ski Robot -- The Danger Room

The Army has autonomous robots scampering around on land. The Air Force has killer drones dropping bombs from the air. Now the Navy — understandably just a little jealous, and clearly not satisfied with its robotic helicopters — prepares to add two new seafaring ‘bots to the mix.

“Blackfish” is a remote controlled, sawed-off jet ski meant to patrol ports for terrorist swimmers up to no good. “Harbor Wing” is a 60-foot, 10-ton, environmentally friendly sailboat with a catamaran’s hull, packed full of surveillance equipment meant to aim a stealthy, sailor-free eye on far away horizons. Both vessels would surf around without a human on board.

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More News On Blackfish

First line of defence: The robotic jet ski that can see underwater when patrolling harbours for terrorists -- Daily Mail
Robotic Jet Ski Set to Patrol Harbors -- Discovery News
Navy tests robotic jet skis -- TG Navy
Navy testing robot Jet Ski for harbor patrols -- CNET
Robot Jet Ski Patrols Harbors Looking for Baddies -- Technabob
Navy testing remote controlled jet ski to detect swimming attackers -- Slash Gear
The Blackfish is a new remote controlled jet ski the Navy plans to add to their fleet -- Ubergizmo