Unmanned U.S. Navy water drone fires missile in an exercise

The U.S. Navy successfully tested the ability of unmanned ships to fire lethal rounds. A video was released showing a maritime drone firing a missile, then the video shows the target being destroyed. The video goes back and forth between the drone, the target, and the operators working with the drone from a remote location. One of the realities that the war in Ukraine is showing the world is that drones have a large role to play in combat operations.

From CBS News:

The exercise — dubbed Digital Talon — was carried out by the Navy’s Task Force 59, a team focusing on unmanned and artificial intelligence, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said in a news release. On Oct. 23, members of the task force identified and targeted simulated hostile forces using a method called “manned-unmanned teaming,” and launched live munitions from an unmanned vessel to destroy a target boat, officials said.

The system “successfully scored direct hits each time,” the news release said. The firing, which was in international waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, was overseen by a human operator ashore, who “made the engagement decisions.”

A video shared by the Navy showed an unmanned boat with two outboard motors zipping across the waves. The footage also showed naval operators monitoring the process from a remote location. Once the target is acquired, a missile is launched from what the Navy called a “Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System” at the back of the unmanned boat. The video also showed the moment of successful impact.

“We are focused on the operational application of new, cutting-edge unmanned systems and artificial intelligence technologies,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper in the news release. “During Digital Talon, we took a significant step forward and advanced our capability to the ‘next level’ beyond just maritime domain awareness, which has been a traditional focus with Task Force 59. We have proven these unmanned platforms can enhance fleet lethality. In doing so, we are strengthening regional maritime security and enhancing deterrence against malign activity.”

CBS News provides the rest of the story here. Here is the link to the video.

Category: Navy