For the 2007-2016 period, Forecast International is projecting an undersea warfare market having a total value of $14,376 million, covering a total of 22,050 individual systems. Over the last few years, the undersea warfare market has changed significantly in both structure and technological base; the emphasis has swung from blue water, oceanic operations to combat in the shallow, obstructed waters of littoral regions. Most importantly, the roles of unmanned underwater vehicles have been expanded to take on many of the tasks that previously required a human presence. This trend is most notable in mine warfare but is becoming apparent in other areas also. This is taking place at a time when the demands of the international situation are placing greatest emphasis upon land warfare. In the U.S. in particular, funding is being diverted away from underwater warfare toward other urgent requirements. This affects both procurement, where some long-standing programs have run to completion and have not been replaced by successors, and the research and development area. To some extent this situation is mitigated by the substantial "black" component to undersea warfare that, for obvious reasons, is not reflected in this market sampling.
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