US Navy planning to build unmanned drone warship fleet

[Haijun watcher]

Defense News

US Navy considers alternatives to unmanned boats with missiles
By Megan Eckstein
Mar 22, 10:20 AM
WASHINGTON � The U.S. Navy is nearly done assessing whether to put missile tubes on an unmanned surface vessel, comparing the idea to other options for getting missile launchers out to sea.
The ongoing distributed offensive surface fires analysis of alternatives is in its final stages and expected to complete by the end of April, Navy spokesman Lt. Lewis Aldridge told Defense News.

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[Haijun watcher]

Defense News

US Navy�s unmanned vessel plans need improvement, watchdog agency says
By Geoff Ziezulewicz
Thursday, Apr 7


A Government Accountability Office image shows how Navy surface drones will contribute to the fight of the future. (GAO)
While the U.S. Navy is steaming full speed ahead in developing unmanned surface and undersea drones to augment the fleet of the future, the information technology and artificial intelligence that will drive these platforms remains a work in progress. The sea service needs to better map out its efforts, according to a government watchdog report released this week.

Navy shipbuilding plans call for spending more than $4 billion on such drones over the next five years, but that plan �does not account for the full costs to develop and operate these systems,� a Government Accountability Office report found.

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