Page 12: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2024)

Navy & Autonomy

The U.S. Navy’s New Navigation Plan

Anticipating the Impact on

Uncrewed Surface Systems

By George Galdorisi n September 2024, the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, sels to deny the Russian Navy the use of the Western Black

Admiral Lisa Franchetti, issued her Chief of Naval Op- Sea, as well as threaten Russia’s supply lines to occupying erations Navigation Plan for America’s War? ghting forces in Crimea. The second is Yemen’s Houthi rebels use of

I

Navy. Admiral Franchetti describes this Navigation Plan drones against commercial vessels as well as against U.S. and as the strategic guidance to the U.S. Navy. partner navies in the Red Sea.

This Navigation Plan embodies “Project 33” in recognition of the fact that Admiral Franchetti is the 33rd Chief of Naval The U.S. Navy’s & Uncrewed Systems

Operations. Project 33 articulates two overarching objectives: Uncrewed capabilities not only keep sailors out of harm’s way, an imperative to be ready for the possibility of war with the but they provide opportunities to greatly expand the sea service’s

People’s Republic of China by 2027 and enhancing the Na- war? ghting capacity at less cost than traditional Navy vessels. vy’s long-term advantage. The Navigation Plan for America’s War? ghting Navy adds more

While this Plan has several components, the goal to scale granularity to the “why” behind the Navy’s commitment to un- robotic and autonomous systems to integrate more platforms crewed surface vessels. It notes that robotic and autonomous at speed focuses on capitalizing on the inherent advantages systems, by augmenting the multi-mission conventional force, that uncrewed systems bring to any navy. This is perhaps the will provide opportunities to expand the reach, resilience, and most intriguing part of the Navigation Plan and one that will lethality of the combined crewed-uncrewed Navy team. likely have a major impact on the maritime industry. A short-term goal, articled in the Navigation Plan, is to in-

Momentum to enable the U.S. Navy to leverage uncrewed tegrate proven robotic and autonomous systems for routine systems has been building for almost two decades, beginning use by the commanders who will employ them and to incor- with the Navy’s Strategic Study Group report titled The Un- porate mature uncrewed capabilities into all deploying carrier manned Imperative and other reports and studies up to and and expeditionary strike groups by 2027. The anticipated use including the Navy’s UNMANNED Campaign Framework. of these uncrewed capabilities will focus on key operational

These aspirational documents have now found purchase challenges across critical mission areas.

in the Navigation Plan for America’s War? ghting Navy with speci? c goals and objectives for inserting uncrewed and au- The Evolving U.S. Navy Hybrid Fleet tonomous systems into the Navy inventory. The Navigation Plan puts special emphasis on the Hybrid

Admiral Franchetti’s predecessor, Admiral Michael Gilday, Fleet. As Admiral Franchetti noted, absent a large infusion of articulated the goal of a “500-Ship Navy,” which includes 350 resources, it will not be possible to build a bigger traditional crewed vessels, and 150 uncrewed vessels. Admiral Franchetti navy in a few short years. Therefore, the hybrid ? eet concept has embraced this goal of a “hybrid ? eet” and her plan to scale is seen as a viable path to put enough hulls in the water to ac- robotic and autonomous systems and integrate them with crewed complish the Navy’s myriad global missions.

platforms points directly to the goal of a 500-ship hybrid ? eet. The Hybrid Fleet is moving forward. Navy of? cials have

Two recent real-world events have worked to accelerate the been laying the keel for the future hybrid ? eet via experimen-

U.S. Navy’s development and ? elding of uncrewed vessels. tation and other efforts, such as standing up Task Force 59 and

The ? rst is the Ukrainian Navy’s use of uncrewed surface ves- Task Force 59.1, establishing the Disruptive Capabilities Of- 12 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • December 2024

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