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availability.” understand our rate of effort the work- nology will be obsolete in three years,”

Advantages for naval applications of force requirement, conduct the integra- said Hornsby.

autonomous platforms and systems are tion, and springboard into the strategy.” “That’s why we want to buy small, and many. But deciding which systems to “In the modern warfare space, the buy often,” Hornsby said. use, and how to share the capabilities be- speed and multiplicity of what will be tween men and machines, can be daunt- occurring, such as swarms and counter ing. This is especially true in the area of swarms, means it’s going to be a busy naval mine warfare. The more machines place. And that busy place may rise to can do, while keeping Sailors safely out what is beyond human capability in of a minefeld, the better. But the tech- many of these terms,” said Cmdr. Paul nology is still evolving. For the RAN, Hornsby, the Navy lead for Autonomous

Thales Australia’s Australian the move towards autonomous MCM is Warfare Systems, which includes the

Minesweeping System was being conducted with a modest and in- platforms, payloads, people and doctrine developed with the assistance cremental low-risk approach. for the RAN.

of the Australian Defence

Cmdr. Parker, the SEA 1778 PH I pro- “Technology is changing so quickly,

Science & Technology gram manager, said Phase I will be a and we don’t want to commit to a great

Organisation (DSTO) and the learning experience. “It’s a small buy so deal of investment and buy enough sys-

Royal Australian Navy.

we can test the water, form our concepts, tems to last us 30 years when the tech-

Thales Australia www.marinetechnologynews.com

Marine Technology Reporter 27