Navy to stand up development squadron for unmanned surface ships to find home for autonomous vessels

SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Navy plans to establish a Surface Development Squadron (SURFDEVRON) to help with the integration of future autonomous platforms like the sub-hunting robot ship Sea Hunter, in an ongoing effort to make U.S. naval surface vessels more distributed and reliant on unmanned ships and aircraft. The Diplomat reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

10 May 2019 -- Navy leaders requested $400 million in the 2020 defense budget for two large unmanned surface vessels (USV), which will form the nucleus of the SURDEVRON.

For the next five years, the service requested $2.7 billion for two LUSVs per annum. “That’s happening,” says Vice Adm. Richard Brown, commanding officer of U.S. Pacific Fleet surface forces.

“We’re going to have large [unmanned surface ships], we’re going to have medium-displacement USVs. I’ve got Sea Hunter running around. I’ve got no place to put those things. That was the impetus behind the development of the Surface Development Squadron,” Brown says.

Related: Navy pushes for more ships, technology breakthroughs

Related: DARPA asks industry for large unmanned undersea vehicle advanced payload delivery system

Related: Navy researchers developing swarms of cooperating air drones for overwhelming land and sea attacks

John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

Ready to make a purchase? Search the Military & Aerospace Electronics Buyer's Guide for companies, new products, press releases, and videos