Swimming in Uncertain Waters

摘要

Underwater, there is an established and growing mission set that includes mine hunting and disposal, battlespace preparation, 3D mapping, lost object recovery; payload deployment and recovery, ship hull, harbour, port and underwater infrastructure inspection, with new missions such as submarine track and trail taking shape. The least well developed sector - described in a 2013 RAND report as vigorous but narrow - is that of USVs, with most focused on observation and information collection, characterisation of the physical environment.