U.S. Navy Firming Up Plans For A Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel

Ghost Fleet Overlord unmanned services vessels Nomad and Ranger conduct operations off the coast of California in 2021. (U.S. Navy)  

Defense News: US Navy more certain of role for medium surface drones following tests 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is firming up plans for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel, after previously questioning the need or utility of the system. 

The Navy has seven large and medium USV prototypes in its custody or on contract, and already these vessels have shown the value of having an unmanned craft tote around payloads related to intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting, leaders said. 

Meanwhile, small USVs operating as part of Task Force 59 are conducting ISR missions of their own, in much greater numbers due to their size and low cost. The Navy had already announced its commitment to a Large USV program.  

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WNU Editor: The US Navy has made the commitment to have a drone fleet .... U.S. Navy Drone Ships: Unmanned Ships of the Future (USAMM). Here is a more recent article .... New in 2023: Here comes the first-ever surface drone fleet (Navy Times).

Are ‘Robot Ships’ The Future For The U.S. Navy?

The U.S. Navy’s first drone warship dubbed “Sea Hunter.” DARPA 

Washington Post: The military wants ‘robot ships’ to replace sailors in battle 

On a sunny day last September, a ship with no humans aboard fired its missiles into the sky, inching the military toward a sought-after goal: building an armada of drone ships that use artificial intelligence instead of sailors to fight at sea. 

The missile test was a crucial step for the Navy’s autonomous vessel program, an extensive initiative to develop 21 robot ships over the next few years. The program is a direct response to countries such as China, which have been building sophisticated missile technology to target ships that approach their shores. Robot vessels could be a cheaper and more effective way to protect the seas while putting fewer sailors’ lives at risk, former naval officers said. 

But in recent weeks, a growing chorus of watchdogs, experts, analysts and former naval officers have cautioned that any grand plans to use artificial intelligence to modernize naval fleets in short order are unrealistic, because of budgetary constraints and the difficultly of building artificial intelligence that can adequately replace sailors. 

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WNU Editor: The US Navy has big plans .... Diving Deep & Sailing High – US Navy To Unleash 100 Drone Ships To Checkmate Iran In The Persian Gulf Region (The EurAsian Times).

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 Wants Unmanned Underwater Vehicles That Can Scatter Anti-Submarine Mines

An unmanned underwater vessel (UUV) astern of the USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf

Braking Defense: PRC, Russian Subs May Soon Face UUV-Launched US Sea Mines

Head of the Unmanned and Small Combatants office, Rear Adm. Casey Moton, said the industry day was meant to, “stress the importance of the program to the fleet – they want it today, they need it today.”

WASHINGTON: Unmanned underwater vehicles will scatter anti-submarine mines as a new way to protect US Navy ships at sea, part of a larger push to screen the fleet from increasingly sophisticated Chinese and Russian subs prowling the seas.

This marks an important shift in US naval warfare, as the head of the Navy’s mine warfare division, Capt. Chris Merwin, outlined at a conference last year. “Basically we have Quickstrike mines, air-delivered dumb bombs, and we have a few submarine-launchable mines. That is what we have now,” but “that is changing big time.”

The future “of mining,” Merwin said, will be [unmanned underwater vehicle] clandestinely-launched mines.”

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WNU Editor: The U.S. Navy has been behind in the development of unmanned systems when compared to the US Air Force. But it looks like they are trying to catch up.

China Discovers Underwater Spy Drones In Its Waters

The Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) found by China are generally small, but they can gather important intelligence. This example was discovered in 2012. Few are reported in the media. H I Sutton (Author)

Forbes: China Discovers Underwater Spy Drones In Its Waters

The secretive world of naval underwater surveys rarely breaks the surface. Now recent events are briefly shining a light into the darkness. In the Adriatic a Croatian fishing vessel caught one of the U.S. Navy’s undersea sensor systems last week. That mysterious object has largely been explained. Meanwhile, China has held an award ceremony for fishermen who alerted authorities after discovering similar devices in their nets. The devices may have been operating in international waters, but still in China’s back yard as they see it. We can infer that some of these devices may also belong to the U.S. Navy.

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WNU Editor: Someone or someones have been active near Chinese waters ....

.... This year 11 fishermen were rewarded for handing over unidentified underwater vehicles which they had found. The number of devices was not reported, but in 2018 nine were handed over.

Update: Why are Chinese fishermen finding so many 'submarine spies'? (Owen Amos, BBC)

U.S. Navy Tests A New Anti-Mine Unmanned Surface Vehicle

A Sailor and civilian technicians monitor an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), after it was launched from Military Sealift Command's expeditionary sea base, USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams (T-ESB 4), into the Chesapeake Bay, September 14, 2019. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

Navy Recognition: US Navy has tested new anti-mine unmanned surface vehicle USV

On September 14, 2019, the U.S. Navy has tested new anti-mine unmanned surface vehicle (aboard Military Sealift Command’s expeditionary sea base, USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams (T-ESB 4), into the Chesapeake Bay.

The USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams (T-ESB-4) is an expeditionary mobile base sub-variant of the Montford Point-class expeditionary transfer dock (ESD) currently in service with the United States Navy (USN). The USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams was delivered to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command in February 2018 and is the Navy's second, purpose-built ESB.

The 784ft.-long vessel features a 52,000 square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines, and mission-planning spaces. Able to accommodate up to 250 personnel, USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams will support multiple missions, such as air mine countermeasures, counter-piracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions and crisis response operations. The ship has hybrid-manned crew with a combination of military personnel and civilian mariners.

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Update: U.S. Navy tests new anti-mine unmanned surface vehicle (Defence Blog)

WNU Editor: This anti-mine unmanned surface vehicle will be useful for this .... Chinese Naval War-Fighting Doctrine Emphasizes The Use Of Mines To Push Back The U.S. Navy (September 18, 2019).

US Navy Wants Ten Massive Robotic Ships As Part Of Its Ghost Fleet Within The Next Five Years (Update)

The Sea Hunter is a 132ft vessel the US Navy recently sent from San Diego to Hawaii and back, the fist unmanned vessel to do so. But they want a fleet of far larger unmanned warships

Daily Mail: Ghost Fleet: US Navy reveals plans for a $1bn fleet of massive unmanned vessels for 'dirty and dangerous' missions

* US Navy wants $400million for the first two vessels to be built in 2020
* The 300ft warships will be packed with anti-air and cruise missiles
* Designed for missions where risk of injury, capture or death is highly probable
* They will be larger than the Sea Hunter, a 132ft unmanned ship, built in 2016

The US Navy wants to buy ten massive robotic ships as part of its Ghost Fleet within the next five years, capable of being deployed on 'dirty and dangerous' missions.

The 300ft warships, packed with anti-air and cruise missiles, will weigh in at some 2,000 tons and the first two are billed at $400million. The rest will cost an estimated $600million.

Similar to the smallest 'rated' class of warship, the Corvette, the Navy wants them deployed on 'three D missions.' That is missions which are 'dull, dirty and dangerous.'

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Update #1: Navy in the process of developing an unmanned “Ghost Fleet” (War Is Boring)
Update #2: US Navy plans corvette-sized unmanned fleet (Naval Technology)

WNU Editor: The US Navy is late to the drone game, but they are catching up fast.

U.S. Navy Wants To Build The World's Largest Robot Warship

Popular Mechanics: The U.S. Navy Wants To Build the World's Largest Robot Warship

The Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle will augment manned warships, providing extra sensors or firepower.

The U.S. Navy is calling on industry to present ideas for its Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle (LUSV) ship. The Navy wants ten LUSV ships in five years. The ships would function as scouts for the main battle fleet, carrying sophisticated radar and sonars or floating magazines packing extra anti-air and cruise missiles.

Above all, the ships will do what proponents call the “3D work”: dull, dirty, and dangerous work.

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Update: US Navy to build £330m world’s largest robot warship to patrol the most dangerous seas (The SUN)

WNU Editor: The specs on what the US Navy wants can be read here .... Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) (FedsBizOps)

The U.S. Navy Has Started Building Its 50-Ton Undersea Drone Known As Orca

Warrior Maven: Navy Starts Building New Massive, 50-Ton Undersea Attack Drone

The Navy is planning to launch a massive, 50-ton undersea drone to expand mission scope.

The Navy is planning to launch a massive, 50-ton undersea drone to expand mission scope, increase attack options, integrate large high-tech sensors, further safeguard manned combat crews and possibly fire torpedoes -- all while waging war under the ocean surface.

The 50-ton Orca, which would not fit in a submarine launch tube, brings an unprecedented sensing, endurance and attack advantage. The Navy has finished its Critical Design Review of the Orca, called an Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle.and begun construction, Capt. Pete Small, Program Manager for Unmanned Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command, said in early May at the Navy League’s Sea Air Space symposium.

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WNU Editor: For more information on this underwater drone go here .... The U.S. Navy Just Bought Four Giant Boeing Robot Submarines (February 15, 2019).

U.S. Navy Unveils An Unmanned Boat With A 50-Caliber Machine Gun

The Navy and Textron showed off for the first time a weaponized prototype of a small unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed to revolutionize sea warfare, May 6, 2019. (Military.com photo/Richard Sisk)

Military.com: Navy’s Unmanned Boat Now Features 50-Caliber Machine Gun

The Navy and Textron showed off for the first time Monday a weaponized prototype of a small unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed to revolutionize sea warfare.

Textron principal systems engineer Gary Hartman said the display of the 40-foot Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle, docked at the annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition at National Harbor, Maryland, is the first of the boat mounted with a 50-caliber machine gun and a housing for Hellfire missiles.

The weapons display is the outgrowth of the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement signed last year by Naval Sea Systems Command and Textron "to develop and integrate surface warfare payloads onto the Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle."

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Update: Navy's New Drone Boat Features Machine Gun & Hellfire Missiles (Zero Hedge)

WNU Editor: A glimpse into the future.

The Chinese Navy Wants Robot Warships

Company representatives say China has a working prototype of the JARI USV, which is equipped like a mini DDG, but details beyond that are scant. (Photo by David B. Larter)

Defense News: China is working on killer robot ships of its own

ABU DHABI –The Chinese shipbuilder China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company is developing a small unmanned surface vessel that China wants to function essentially like the uninhabited baby brother of a U.S. Arleigh Burke destroyer.

The JARI USV is a 20-ton, 15-meter boat that is orders of magnitude smaller than the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s manned Type -55 destroyer but has all the same mission areas: anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare.

A model of the drone was on display at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi.

'The JARI comes equipped with electro-optical sensor atop a superstructure, a phased array radar, a dipping sonar, eight small vertical launch system cells, a torpedo launcher and a forward mounted machine gun and rocket launcher for counter-surface engagements, according to a model displayed at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference.

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Update: The Next Chinese Naval Threat: Robot Warships? (David Axe, National Interest)

WNU Editor: The U.S. Navy is also building up its robot fleet .... The U.S. Navy Just Bought Four Giant Boeing Robot Submarines (February 15, 2019).

The U.S. Navy Just Bought Four Giant Boeing Robot Submarines

David Axe, National Interest: The U.S. Navy Just Bought Four Giant, Robot Submarines from Boeing

Orca could help to fill a yawning gap in the American submarine fleet. In December 2016, the U.S. Navy announced it needed 66 nuclear-powered attack subs, or SSNs, to meet regional commanders' needs.

The U.S. Navy has ordered from Boeing four huge robotic submarines, potentially signally an effort to deploy a large number of crewless undersea boats alongside traditional, manned submarines.

The Navy's $43-million purchase of four Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles, or XLUUVs, comes as the fleet struggles to build enough new manned submarines to replace older vessels that are decommissioning as their nuclear cores wear out.

"Boeing based its winning Orca XLUUV design on its Echo Voyager unmanned diesel-electric submersible," Ben Werner explained at USNI News.

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WNU Editor: I love the name "Orca" for these subs.

More News On The U.S. Navy Buying Four Giant Boeing Robot Submarines

Navy Awards Boeing $43 Million to Build Four Orca XLUUVs -- USNI News
The Navy Just Ordered the "Orca," an Extra-Large Unmanned Submarine by Boeing -- Popular Mechanics
Boeing Wins Navy Contract for Extra-Large Drone Subs -- Drone Below
Boeing nets $43M to build Navy's Orca extra large unmanned vehicles -- UPI
Boeing Wins $43M Orca Unmanned Undersea Vehicles Modification Contract -- Defense World

Russia's Underwater Drone Will Be Able To Operate At A Depth Of 1 km And Reach A Speed Of 110-130 km/h Armed With A Two Megaton Nuclear Warhead

Sputnik: 'Doomsday Machine': Russia's New Weapon Reportedly Gets Nuclear Warhead (VIDEO)

During his state-of-the-nation address to the Russian Federal Assembly in March, President Vladimir Putin touted the country's newest weapons, including the Poseidon (Status-6) unmanned underwater vehicles.

Russia's state-of-the-art Poseidon (Status-6) naval system is expected to be equipped with torpedoes containing nuclear warheads, Russian media reports said.

Citing an unnamed source in the Russian Defense Ministry, media reported that the Poseidon system is composed of several high-speed deep-water torpedoes which will be carried by a nuclear-powered submarine.

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More News On Russia's Poseidon (Status-6) Unmanned Underwater Drone

Source: Russian Poseidon underwater drone capable of carrying 2 megatonne nuclear warhead -- TASS
Russia's New Nuclear Torpedo May Be Able to Consume US Cities with Giant Radioactive Waves, Experts Say -- Newsweek
Russian Navy to Receive Poseidon/Status-6 Nuclear-Powered UUV by 2027 -- Navy Recognition

The U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship Will Now Operate Surface And Undersea Drones

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James R. Evans (Credit: Warrior Maven)

FOX News: Navy Littoral Combat Ship to operate swarms of drones

The U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship will now have the ability to operate surface and undersea drones to improve effectiveness, particularly when it comes to destroying mines, surveying enemy waters and launching attacks.

The growing fleet of unmanned surface vessels has made rapid technological improvements in recent months, including being capable of performing longer-range surveillance. They've also become more effective at neutralizing mines and launching coordinated drone attacks.

Ocean drones are gaining new forms of autonomy, thanks to new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and improved algorithms, the Navy strategy's emphasizes that humans will still be needed to make decisions such as when and if to fire weapons or others needed for combat.

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WNU Editor:  Another example of the U.S. Navy embracing drones to be a part of the fleet.

Is Northrop's New Combat Drone A Winner?

TERN AT TAKEOFF. IMAGE SOURCE: DARPA.

Motley Fool: Northrop's New Combat Drone Could Outclass Boeing F/A-18, Lockheed F-35

In at least one respect, Northrop Grumman appears to have the edge.

Northrop Grumman's TERN drone for the Navy could be an even bigger deal than we initially thought.

One year ago, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) tapped Northrop Grumman to build it a TERN prototype, capable of launching from and landing on small naval warships. Just six months later, before TERN had even conducted its first test flight, DARPA decided it liked the new drone so much that it "doubled down" and ordered Northrop to go ahead and build it a second test vehicle.

Already, we're beginning to see why.

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WNU Editor: Darpa is investing big in this drone .... they clearly like what they see.

Russia Is Developing An Underwater Drone That Will Be Able To Imitate Any Submarine

© Rubin Central Design Bureau

TASS: Russia developing robot able to imitate any submarine

This submarine imitator provides for up to 15-16 hours of naval exercises, reproducing an enemy submarine’s maneuvering, including at high speed

MOSCOW, December 6. /TASS/. Specialists of Russia’s Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering have developed a conceptual design of a seaborne robotized system called Surrogat for holding naval exercises, the design bureau’s press office told TASS on Tuesday.

Currently negotiations are under way with the Navy on this project, the press office said.

Surrogat is equipped with a lithium-ion battery. This submarine imitator provides for up to 15-16 hours of naval exercises, reproducing an enemy submarine’s maneuvering, including at high speed, over this time.

The robot’s relatively large size (about 17 meters long) and the ability to carry towed sonar arrays for various applications will help realistically reproduce an enemy submarine’s physical fields - acoustic and electromagnetic, the Rubin design bureau said.

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Update: Russia Says It's Working on a Drone That Can Imitate Any Sub (Popular Mechanics)

WNU Editor: The applications for such a drone are nuemrous .... it could be used in navy war games, decoys, intelligence gathering, etc..

This Drone Will Enhance The U.S. Navy Surveillance And Strike Targeting Capabilities

Business Insider: DARPA is building a drone to provide 'persistent' surveillance virtually anywhere in the world

DARPA is on track to unveil a working prototype of its "Tern" drone system in 2018 that could eventually give the Navy and Marines persistent surveillance and strike targeting "virtually anywhere in the world."

If it's implemented, the Tern program would see fully-autonomous drones on small-deck ships throughout the world that can take off and land vertically. Once in flight, they transition to wing-borne flight at medium altitude and become the eyes and ears for its ship for long periods of time.

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WNU Editor: The U.S. Navy is finally catching up to what the U.S. Air Force drone fleet is capable of.

DARPA Invests Big In The TERN Drone

ARTIST'S CONCEPT OF NORTHROP GRUMMAN'S NEW TERN COMBAT DRONE IN ACTION. IMAGE SOURCE: DARPA.

Motley Fool: Northrop Grumman to Expand DARPA's Hush-Hush Drone Project

DARPA likes Northrop's new TERN drone so much, it's asking for seconds.

It's been eight months now since we got our first hint that AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) had lost its shot at building a shipborne combat drone for the U.S. Navy. It's been five months since we received confirmation that Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) had won the contract and would begin work building a tactically exploited reconnaissance node drone, or TERN, for the fleet.

Now, we're getting our first information on how much bigger of a deal this will be for Northrop Grumman -- and how much bigger of a loss for AeroVironment -- than initially thought.

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WNU Editor: In short .... what DARPA wants out of the project is an unmanned drone that can launch from a ship, deliver weapons, and return, using the kind of space devoted to helicopters rather than needing an aircraft carrier.

More News On The TERN Drone Program

DARPA's 'flying wing' drone inches closer to lift-off -- Register
Northrop Grumman gets DARPA Tern contract -- UPI
DARPA expands TERN drone program to make long duration drones that can take off from small ships -- Next Big Future
DARPA's Building a New Drone That Turns Small Ships Into Aircraft Carriers -- Gizmodo
The U.S. Navy Wants To Fly Big Drones From Small Ships -- Popular Mechanics

The U.S. Navy Submarine Fleet Wants To Adopt Drones As Part of Their Arsenal

The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Tucson (SSN 770) is underway during the U.S.-South Korea joint naval and air exercise in waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, July 26, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Kris Osborn, National Interest: U.S. Navy: Nuclear Submarines Will Control Multiple Drones

Groups of underwater drones will soon simultaneously use sonar and different sensors to identify and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, search for mines, collect oceanographic data and conduct reconnaissance missions – all while a single human performs command and control functions aboard a Navy ship or submarine, senior service officials explained.

Perhaps several submarine-launched underwater robots or Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicles could identify a threatening enemy submarine or surface vessel at distances far beyond the normal detection range.

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WNU Editor: What the U.S. Navy wants to do is very ambitious .... whether they will succeed is another story.

U.S. Navy To Hide Its Drones In Pods On The Ocean Floor

Officials said the robot pods floating to the water's surface to release various payloads could perform some roles now carried out by submarines, which are much more expensive to operate.

Daily Mail: Secret pods set to hide swarms of hibernating US Navy drones deep below the sea

* Pods will hold naval drones on the sea bed for years at a time
* If a threat emerges, pods are released remotely and float to the surface
* Drones then unfurl their wings and take flight

They could spend months on the seabed, hibernating in special pods before emerging and flying into battle.

US defence chiefs have revealed radical plans for 'pods' to hold naval drones on the sea bed for years at a time.

If a threat emerged nearby, the pods are simply released remotely, and float to the surface to open and unleash the drone within.

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WNU Editor: The Pentagon has been pushing the idea of using drone swarms for missions. This looks like it is a part of that concept.