yasin_khan
New Member
Unmanned craft carrying sensors, mine-countermeasures equipment, weapons and other specialized payloads can help littoral-warfare ships to perform both their offensive and defensive roles.
Many navies are turning to unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) as a complement or alternative to manned platforms for a variety of roles, particularly in littoral operations. The use of USVs equipped with suitable sensors and weapons can provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), thereby extending the area of coverage, and allows an enemy to be engaged before it can launch its own offensive weapons. It also reduces the risk to conventional ships and their crew, and can lower the total manning requirements.
USVs are additionally smaller and less expensive than their manned counterparts. The use of interchangeable mission modules makes maximum use of the limited space and weight aboard many host platforms. Those based on existing designs such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) can be launched and recovered using standard davits or ramps, requiring no additional special equipment. In many cases, USVs are foreseen as operating in harmony with manned vessels.
The main thrust being conducted by the US Navy (USN) in this area focuses on the Spartan Scout program, which began as an advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD) with Fiscal Year 2002 (FY02) funding. The ACTD, led by the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, is intended to demonstrate the military utility of USVs for assured access and force protection in the littorals, focusing on ISR and force protection (FP), mine warfare (MIW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
Many of these functions, together with further specialized requirements, are of interest to other participants in the ACTD. The US Army foresees a potential application to precision strike - using weapons such as Hellfire - and anti-access operations. The US Marine Corps is considering the use of USVs in support of expeditionary logistics, sustainment and resupply; while special forces could employ such a platform for hydrographic and other reconnaissance, together with deception operations. France is concentrating its participation in the area of ASW. The Republic of Singapore Navy is focusing on shallow-water ASW and MIW, FP, and coastal-patrol/anti-piracy missions.
Many navies are turning to unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) as a complement or alternative to manned platforms for a variety of roles, particularly in littoral operations. The use of USVs equipped with suitable sensors and weapons can provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), thereby extending the area of coverage, and allows an enemy to be engaged before it can launch its own offensive weapons. It also reduces the risk to conventional ships and their crew, and can lower the total manning requirements.
USVs are additionally smaller and less expensive than their manned counterparts. The use of interchangeable mission modules makes maximum use of the limited space and weight aboard many host platforms. Those based on existing designs such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) can be launched and recovered using standard davits or ramps, requiring no additional special equipment. In many cases, USVs are foreseen as operating in harmony with manned vessels.
The main thrust being conducted by the US Navy (USN) in this area focuses on the Spartan Scout program, which began as an advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD) with Fiscal Year 2002 (FY02) funding. The ACTD, led by the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, is intended to demonstrate the military utility of USVs for assured access and force protection in the littorals, focusing on ISR and force protection (FP), mine warfare (MIW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
Many of these functions, together with further specialized requirements, are of interest to other participants in the ACTD. The US Army foresees a potential application to precision strike - using weapons such as Hellfire - and anti-access operations. The US Marine Corps is considering the use of USVs in support of expeditionary logistics, sustainment and resupply; while special forces could employ such a platform for hydrographic and other reconnaissance, together with deception operations. France is concentrating its participation in the area of ASW. The Republic of Singapore Navy is focusing on shallow-water ASW and MIW, FP, and coastal-patrol/anti-piracy missions.