TL;DR:
- The US Navy plans to deploy unmanned ships powered by AI to counter smuggling operations and illegal fishing in the waters around Central and South America.
- Task Force 59, the Navy’s drone ship initiative, was established in 2021 in the 5th Fleet region and has been successful in countering piracy and smuggling. The Navy plans to deploy unmanned vessels to the 4th Fleet to tackle challenges such as human and narcotic trafficking and illegal fishing.
- The Navy’s vision for the future is to have a larger portion of its Fleet comprised of unmanned, AI-driven vessels, with 89-149 unmanned vessels estimated by 2045.
- The deployment of AI-driven unmanned vessels is expected to revolutionize the Navy’s approach to maritime security by providing an “unblinking eye” on traffickers and illegal fishing activities and freeing up manned vessels for other tasks.
- Admiral Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, emphasized the role of AI in the Navy’s operations, stating the Navy has a “deep respect for AI” and that AI capabilities demonstrated so far on large surface unmanned vessels have been impressive.
- Admiral Gilday highlighted the importance of integrating AI with other technologies to provide a better common operational picture and to be more effective in intercepting illegal activities. The Navy is leveraging machine learning and AI capabilities to be more predictive in detecting traffic and enhancing its response.
- The process of incorporating more unmanned vessels into the Fleet will be an iterative one, with the Navy currently focused on developing minimally manned vessels before transitioning to full autonomy.
Main AI News:
In its continued efforts to enhance maritime security, the US Navy has devised a strategy to expand the deployment of unmanned vessels equipped with cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology. The aim is to counter illicit activities such as smuggling operations and illegal fishing in the waters surrounding Central and South America.
Task Force 59, the Navy’s drone ship initiative, was established in 2021 in the 5th Fleet region, encompassing the Middle East and several vital maritime chokepoints. The initiative has been successful in countering piracy and smuggling in the region. Building on this success, the Navy recently announced its plans to deploy unmanned vessels to the 4th Fleet, which covers the waters along the coasts of Central and South America, extending as far as Antarctica.
According to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, the 4th Fleet region is the ideal environment for operationalizing the MDA (Maritime Domain Awareness) capabilities developed by Task Force 59. The MDA technologies and platforms will be deployed to tackle significant challenges such as human and narcotics trafficking, as well as the economic and ecological harm caused by illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, a practice engaged in by China’s distant water fishing fleets.
The Navy’s vision for the future is to have a larger portion of its Fleet comprised of unmanned, AI-driven vessels. As per its latest force structure and shipbuilding plan, the Navy estimates that it could have between 89 and 149 unmanned vessels by 2045, compared to 323-365 manned ships. This shift towards unmanned vessels is poised to revolutionize the Navy’s operations and strengthen its capabilities in maintaining maritime security.
The deployment of AI-driven unmanned vessels is set to revolutionize the US Navy’s approach to maritime security. These drones provide an “unblinking eye” on traffickers and illegal fishing activities, as they have the ability to sustain surveillance of critical waterways for extended periods. The utilization of machine learning to process the vast amounts of data they obtain also allows manned vessels to be freed up for other tasks.
Admiral Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, spoke at the recent Navy League luncheon and emphasized the role of AI in the Navy’s operations. He stated that the Navy has a “deep respect for AI” and that the artificial intelligence capabilities demonstrated so far on large surface unmanned vessels have been impressive. For instance, these vessels have transited over 50,000 nautical miles in autonomous mode, following rules, avoiding traffic, and staying within channels.
Admiral Gilday also highlighted the importance of integrating AI with other technologies to provide a better common operational picture and to be more effective in intercepting illegal activities. He said that the Navy is leveraging machine learning and AI capabilities to be more predictive in detecting traffic and to enhance its response.
The process of incorporating more unmanned vessels into the Fleet will be an iterative one, and the Navy is currently focused on developing minimally manned vessels before transitioning to full autonomy. The recent successful transit of a drone boat through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for ships entering or exiting the Persian Gulf, is a testament to the Navy’s progress in this area.
A Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel (USV) operates with guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) in the Arabian Gulf during exercise Phantom Scope, Oct. 7. During the bilateral exercise between the United States and United Kin (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Roland Franklin / DVIDS)
An L3Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel sails in the Arabian Gulf, Jan. 22, during exercise Neon Defender 23. Neon Defender is an annual bilateral training event between U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Bahrain that focuses on ma (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Anita Chebahtah / DVIDS)
Conlcusion:
The US Navy’s plan to expand the deployment of unmanned vessels powered by AI technology has significant implications for the market. The shift towards unmanned vessels has the potential to revolutionize the Navy’s operations and enhance its maritime security capabilities.
The utilization of AI technologies such as machine learning will allow the Navy to sustain surveillance of critical waterways for extended periods, freeing up manned vessels for other tasks and providing a better common operational picture to effectively intercept illegal activities. This development is a testament to the growing importance of AI in the maritime industry, and it will be interesting to observe how this trend evolves in the coming years.
