US Wants Sailor-less Ships in its Naval Fleet

During Operation Neptune Strike 23.1, an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was integrated with air and naval forces to execute a simulated long-range missile strike on a simulated adversarial ship. This strike force comprised F/A-18s and Spanish AV-8B Harriers, which were vectored by an E-2D Hawkeye attached to Carrier Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 121. The exercise involved 31 ships, 135 aircraft, and 8,386 Sailors and Marines from 21 countries. Similarly, the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RimPac) exercise conducted in 2022 showcased the potential for the future hybrid fleet to operate with the deployment of four prototype unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

According to a recent study by the US Naval Institute, unmanned systems are proving to be a crucial part of the navy fleet, particularly in pursuing its future maritime mission. The study found that unmanned systems are increasingly considered a reliable and sustainable part of the US naval force, integrated quickly to provide lethal, survivable, and scalable effects. In major exercises that the US Navy has participated in recently, the concept of a hybrid fleet composed of manned and unmanned ships and aircraft has been promoted. These exercises have demonstrated advancements across the entire spectrum of naval operations, from developmental and operational testing to experiments with a wide range of prototypes, up to real fleet deployments. For instance, an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) recently executed a simulated long-range missile strike on a simulated adversarial ship, passing the target ship's coordinates to an E-2D Hawkeye, which then passed the information to a strike force of F/A-18s and Spanish AV-8B Harriers.

The biennial Rim of the Pacific (RimPac) exercise conducted in 2022 in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands was also a success and offered a glimpse into how the future hybrid fleet might operate. The exercise witnessed the deployment of four prototype unmanned surface vessels (USVs), including the trimarans Sea Hunter and Seahawk and two converted offshore supply vessels, the Nomad and Ranger. These USVs conducted various missions using different payloads, all controlled either by a small team deployed on board an Arleigh Burke–class guided-missile destroyer or from a land-based unmanned-vehicle operations centre, marking the first time that such a centre had been used.

The US Navy's use of unmanned systems is not limited to USVs. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are extensively used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR&T) capabilities. The Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator (BAMS-D), a High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAS, has provided critical maritime overwatch for over ten years. There are also the likes of MQ-4C Triton and MQ-9A that execute Early Operational Capability (EOC) deployments. The US Navy has also established USV Division One (USVDiv1) unit on the West Coast to be the fleet-based testing arm for USVs and their associated autonomy systems and payloads. Task Force 59 (TF-59) was established last year by the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and it has successfully used 80 unmanned systems for rapid exercises and testing, including unmanned gliders and small autonomous vessels like Sail-drones and MANTAS USVs.

The use of unmanned systems has economic considerations as well. Manned warships, including carriers, are expensive, and any loss to them is costly to the national exchequer, particularly when adversaries like China are expanding the reach of their anti-access and area denial assets. New and inexpensive autonomous technologies offer a way to supplement the existing sea-control force that relies on the carrier strike group. A fleet of primarily small, inexpensive, and largely uncrewed offensive platforms could operate forward as sensors, decoys, and missile shooters. They would absorb the opponent's first salvo and engage the opponent's sea-denial capabilities at the onset of a conflict, with any loss being minimal and hence acceptable.

In December 2020, the US Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, Advantage at Sea, was published, emphasising the importance of unmanned systems against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tensions. General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that a larger navy of 500 ships would be necessary to contain Chinese expansionist ambitions, but also called for 140 to 250 unmanned vessels, which he referred to as sailor-less ships and robots on the water and under the water. Secretary of the US Navy Carlos Del Toro stressed the need for investments in unmanned naval systems, while ensuring their integration with existing platforms.

The Department of the Navy released its UNMANNED Campaign Framework in 2021, promoting the use of autonomous systems to enhance warfighting capabilities, augment traditional combatant forces, and maintain tactical and strategic advantages. Admiral Michael Gilday, US Chief of Naval Operations, asserted that unmanned systems would play a crucial role in future Distributed Maritime Operations, adding affordable, lethal, scalable, and connected capabilities to a hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned systems.

In July 2022, the US Navy released NAVPLAN 2022 and Force Design 2045, advocating for a hybrid fleet of 373 manned ships and 150 large, unmanned surface and subsurface platforms. Force Design 2045 highlighted the benefits of unmanned systems, including increased distribution capacity, expanded intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance advantage, deeper missile magazines, logistical support, and enhanced fleet survivability. This transition would shift the Navy's focus from expensive, manpower-intensive platforms to smaller, less expensive yet lethal ones.

A recent study by the US Naval Institute revealed that the Navy intends to invest significantly in unmanned maritime vehicles and establish a hybrid force of manned and unmanned systems, with bipartisan support from the US Congress. Over the past three years, congressional funding for naval shipbuilding has steadily increased, reflecting a growing interest in constructing a future fleet that includes unmanned systems. In the 2023 budget, Congress explicitly mentioned the importance of unmanned systems for the Navy, allocating $31.9 billion for shipbuilding, a $4 billion increase from the previous year. This trend suggests that the Navy's shift towards unmanned systems is gaining momentum and could prove successful.