Page 42: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2021)

SUBSEA DEFENSE he most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned

Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future.

The 2018 document states that UxS will operate in every domain; always be an option; and be at

Ttheir best when teamed with Sailors and Marines.

“UxS will strengthen naval power at, on, and from the sea by reducing operational risk and cost. UxS operating in the air, on the surface, under the sea, and on shore as a rapidly adapt- able and interconnected network will provide access to areas denied to manned platforms, provide better situational aware- ness, increase capabilities with greater range and persistence, and enable faster decision making,” the roadmap stated.

The document allowed as how there continue to be barriers, including policy, doctrine, force structure, acquisition, and technology development. Perhaps most of all, the Navy and

Marine Corps must continue to work to build operator trust and con? dence in unmanned systems in all domains.

The tri-service maritime strategy, Advantage at sea, issued jointly by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and re- leased in December 2020, calls for greater numbers of distrib- utable capabilities over fewer exquisite platforms. “We will design our future naval force to support distrib- uted operating concepts that rely on lower signature, highly maneuverable forces. Naval forces will mix larger platforms with standoff capabilities and smaller, more-affordable plat- forms—including optionally manned or unmanned assets— that increase our offensive lethality and speed of maneuver,” the document said. That includes unmanned systems.

According to the maritime strategy, as more Sailors and Ma- rines use UxS, the importance of “the ability for them to act replace manned submarines. They may take on missions done together coherently, effectively, and ef? ciently to achieve tac- by manned platforms today, but are intended to augment, not tical, operational, and strategic objectives.” replace, manned platforms.”

Size matters

Small

The Navy classi? es its UUVs in four size categories: extra-

The Navy uses small UUVs, which are man-portable or large, large, medium, and small. All but the largest are de- launched from a ship, helicopter or submarine, for battlespace ployed from a host platform. The smaller categories can be awareness and underwater reconnaissance, such as the HII delivered to the operating area and placed in the water by hand

Hydroid Mk18 Mod 1 Sword? sh or the L3 Harris Iver. or from a boat, ship, helicopter or submarine to support a team

The Navy is currently partnered with the Defense Innova- a? oat or ashore with environmental information or possible tion Unit (DIU) for the Next Generation Small-Class UUV target location. Missions are measured in hours. The XLUUV (SUUV) program to replace the MK18 Mod 1. In 2019, DIU category is usually deployed for a pier from where it can then awarded prototype Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) to transit to the operating area, and may augment some of the both L3Harris for its Iver4 and HII Hydroid for its REMUS capabilities now performed by a manned platform. Missions 300 to modify these commercial systems to meet the Navy’s are measured in weeks or months.

SUUV requirements.

“Only XLUUV is explicitly intended for pier deployment only. LDUUV is the largest UUV planned for host submarine

Medium integration from large ocean interfaces. While LDUUV could

Medium Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (MUUVs) are be pier deployed, that is not the default concept of opera- capable of persistent, autonomous, ocean sensing and data tions,” said Capt. Pete Small, PMS 406 (Unmanned Maritime collection to support the Intelligence Preparation of the Op-

Systems), with PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants. “The erational Environment (IPOE) mission. They can be launched

Navy is cautious to not imply that unmanned vehicles will from a surface ship or submarine.

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