The Department of Defense (DoD) recently released its Naval Science and Technology Strategy to help identify and implement a plan of action in efforts to accelerate maritime defense capabilities. While there were several key technological areas outlined in the strategy, undersea systems, autonomy, and artificial intelligence (AI) are a few that have already seen some promising advancement.
Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
Today’s navies are increasingly deploying unmanned systems, both above and below the water, including unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), which offer enhanced surveillance and mine detection capabilities without putting crew at risk.
For example, the U.S. Navy’s Lionfish program is at the forefront of this revolution, aiming to counter underwater mines and protect critical shipping lanes. This program highlights the U.S. Navy’s efforts to deploy Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) with advanced modular systems capable of broad undersea missions, combining state-of-the-art sensors and AI to improve performance and flexibility.
Furthermore, the development of the Boeing Orca XLUUV represents a significant step in UUV technology, capable of performing a variety of tasks including mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare. This class of UUV promises greater endurance and adaptability, underpinned by cutting-edge propulsion systems aimed at enhancing their operational range and efficiency.
Together, these initiatives reflect a broader trend towards increasing the use of UUVs in naval operations, providing the Navy with enhanced capabilities to secure maritime domains against evolving threats.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Technologies
ASW technologies have seen significant innovations recently, particularly in enhancing underwater surveillance and threat detection capabilities to protect strategic assets. The ARCIMS SeaSense system, developed by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK, represents a leap forward in autonomous ASW solutions. This system integrates with un-crewed surface vessels and employs a compact Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) to operate effectively in confined and shallow waters. Such systems not only extend the operational capabilities of traditional ASW platforms but also allow for more strategic and cost-effective deployment of naval resources.
Furthermore, advancements in aerial systems like General Atomic’s MQ-9B Sea Guardian are revolutionizing ASW by enabling high endurance, wide-area surveillance. This UAV can deploy sonobuoys and process vast amounts of acoustic data, allowing for the persistent monitoring of underwater environments. This shift significantly enhances the detection and tracking of modern, quiet submarines and undersea vehicles, which previously could evade traditional detection methods more easily.
These developments highlight the ongoing transformation in ASW, shifting towards a more integrated approach that leverages both manned and unmanned systems to secure maritime domains against increasingly sophisticated threats.
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