Unmanned market: US Navy looks to tap existing technology to jump start autonomous fleet plans

摘要

The recently released US Navy (USN) shipbuilding plan and overall multiservice maritime strategy underscore the nation's commitment to developing a larger fleet of unmanned vehicles above, on, and below the sea. However, the USN has faced difficulty in finding funding for its unmanned and autonomous technology plans as it also strives to maintain the readiness,numbers, and capability of its manned fleet. US lawmakers have balked at the service's efforts to shift money from legacy ship programmes toward proposed unmanned ones - in part because the USN has yet to develop a track record in the development of unmanned systems.