Drone Warfare Goes Deep Underwater --- Autonomous vessels aim to counter new threats at sea and gather intelligence

 

"Drones have revolutionized modern warfare in the sky. Now defense companies and navies are betting they can do the same underwater.

The new underwater drones, with names such as Ghost Shark, Herne and Manta Ray, can typically dive thousands of feet below the surface and operate largely without human interaction for days on end. That ability makes them ideally suited to gather intelligence, protect undersea infrastructure and counter potential threats in the Pacific, advocates say.

"This is an opportune moment for these vehicles," said Cynthia Cook, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank. "Submarines are fantastic, but they are expensive."

Perfecting the technology isn't an easy swim. Maintaining communications deep underwater is more difficult than in the sky, and conditions below the sea's surface can be harsh.

Underwater drones have been used by academics and offshore energy companies for decades. An underwater drone found the Titanic in 1985, for example. Navies have also long used smaller -- typically remote-controlled -- underwater vessels for mine clearance and other tasks.

Now, defense companies are developing larger, more autonomous vessels that can travel longer distances and do more.

Boeing is to deliver five of its Orca extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicles to the U.S. Navy by the end of next year. Up to 85 feet long, the Orca can travel the equivalent of almost 7,500 miles with little human intervention.

Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, has said developing robotic and autonomous systems is one of the U.S. Navy's top priorities in preparing for a possible war with China.

"Unmanned systems have an enormous potential to multiply our combat power," Franchetti said at a conference earlier this year.

Elsewhere, Australia is working with defense startup Anduril on an underwater drone called Ghost Shark. The project is part of a $4.65 billion investment the country is making in subsea warfare capabilities and new autonomous and uncrewed maritime vehicles.

Other underwater drones include BAE Systems' Herne, which is being tested in the U.K., and Northrop Grumman's Manta Ray, which has a similar shape to the giant flat fish.

France, South Korea and Germany are also working on new unmanned underwater vessels. Ukraine is testing an underwater attack drone called Marichka.

One factor aiding the development of this new class of underwater drones is improving technology. Batteries can last longer, sensors are more accurate and electronics are smaller. These advancements mean the vessels can be more autonomous, travel for longer and do more.

The improvements come at an opportune time for Western navies. China has built the world's largest surface naval fleet and its own large autonomous underwater vehicles.

In Europe, cases in which fiber-optic cables were cut have raised concerns that other countries could target crucial lines that move energy and data over ocean floors. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization recently conducted a training exercise off Finland in which underwater drones were used to protect undersea infrastructure.

European navies that would counter such threats have shrunk in size, while the U.S. has struggled to build large ships on time. Britain's Royal Navy, once the world's largest, now has fewer than 20 destroyers and frigates, and around 10 submarines.

BAE's Herne is based on an underwater drone already produced for the energy industry by Cellula Robotics, a Canadian company. BAE added computer systems, cameras and sensors that allow the vessel to operate autonomously as well as gather and analyze intelligence.

Herne, which looks like a mini-submarine, guides itself at sea by using sensors that match its surroundings with preloaded maps. It analyzes vessels it sees by comparing them to a database, allowing it to distinguish between military and civilian craft.

BAE has been developing Herne for roughly 11 months and aims to have the vessel battle-ready within the next year and a half.

Herne's battery lasts up to three days. Cellula is experimenting with hydrogen cells that could allow the vessel to operate for 45 days and give it a range of around 3,000 miles -- roughly the distance between Ireland and New York." [1]

These drones are especially dangerous to humanity's survival, since they are  military AI using danger to nuclear submarines that are the most important part of response to a nuclear attack.

1. U.S. News: Drone Warfare Goes Deep Underwater --- Autonomous vessels aim to counter new threats at sea and gather intelligence. MacDonald, Alistair.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 17 Dec 2024: A.3.