Information
Recent U.S. Navy tests of autonomous maritime drones have encountered significant setbacks, raising concerns about plans for a fleet of unmanned vessels. In one incident off the California coast, a drone boat stalled due to a software glitch and was struck by another vessel. Another drone unexpectedly accelerated while being towed, capsizing a support boat. Both accidents, involving Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, were linked to software failures and communication issues. Following these incidents, the Pentagon’s Defence Innovation Unit paused a nearly $20 million contract with L3Harris, which provides autonomous control software.
These failures highlight the challenges the Navy faces in deploying drone swarms without human oversight, inspired by Ukraine’s use of sea drones against Russia. The Pentagon has launched initiatives like the $1 billion Replicator program, with BlackSea and Saronic as key players. However, the Navy’s acquisition unit for unmanned systems is under review amid leadership turmoil and scepticism about cost-effectiveness. Experts caution that the Navy is struggling to adapt its slow procurement system to the needs of autonomous warfare.
Source: Reuters
So What
Despite current setbacks, the U.S. is well-positioned to refine its autonomous naval drone program by leveraging lessons and battlefield experience from Ukraine, where maritime drones have already proven highly effective. This exchange of technology could serve the dual purpose of strengthening Ukraine’s war effort while accelerating American advancements in autonomous warfare. Once matured, these systems are likely to be commercialised and exported to Taiwan, bolstering its defences against a potential Chinese invasion. If deployed effectively, such drones could tip the balance in Taiwan’s favour by making a large-scale maritime landing prohibitively costly and strategically untenable.
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