Assignment 3.4 - Research Blog 2: Unmanned Maritime Systems
Don Moore
UNSY 501 Applications of Unmanned Systems
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
If someone were to mention an unmanned vehicle most of us would probably think that they were talking about a UAS, UAV, or Ariel Drone. The reason behind this thought process is because until recently unmanned maritime vehicles (UMV), Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), and Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) have been quietly advancing underwater away from the scrutiny of the world.
In May of this year deputy Secretary of Defense Robert work appeared at the Atlantic Council and spoke about a topic called Third Offset Strategy. The deputy secretary explains, “The Third Offset is really kind of simple at its core. It basically hypothesizes that the advances in artificial intelligence and autonomy – autonomous systems – is going to lead to a new era of human-machine collaboration and combat teaming” (Pomerleau, 2016). Additionally, he was quoted saying that “Collaboration is using the tactical acuity of a computer to help a human make better decisions and human-machine combat teaming is using manned and unmanned platforms” (Pomerleau, 2016). One example of the collaboration, which the Deputy Sec. Speaks about is the use of the Navy’s prototype, unmanned sub-hunting ships. One of the sub hunting ships is the Sea Hunter, it weighs about 140 tons and extends 130 feet in length (McCaney, 2016). To be politically correct the vessel is actually an Anti-Submarine warfare Continuous Trail unmanned vessel or ACTUV. The uniqueness of this vessel is that unlike many other developing UUV’s the Sea Hunter can travel farther, stay out longer and can be launched from a peer, which would save the Navy the trouble of integrating it with another ship (McCaney, 2016).
Taking the third offset into consideration, collaboration can be made with the Sea hunter and the Echo voyager. The Boeing “Echo Voyager is a new approach to how unmanned undersea vehicles will operate and be used in the future,” said Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works” (McCaney, 2016). Boeing officials also state that unlike unmanned aerial vehicles, which can transmit ISR data and be operated via the airwaves, submerged vehicles often are tethered in order to maintain communications links. The Echo Voyager will be able to operate independently, can collect data while at sea, rise to the surface, and provide information back to users in a near real-time environment,” (McCaney, 2016). I believe that one of the most fantastic features of the echo Voyager is that it can stay out at for six months straight. The reason why this vessel can stay out for this extended time is because it has its own battery charger aboard which allows the vessel to self-charge.
I believe that one of the most interesting things that the deputy secretary of defense state it was that “the Pentagon is not trying to create machines that can write their own code, make decisions, or lock out humans from intervening (McCaney, 2016). The deputy sec. also went on to ensure everyone that Skynet from the movie The Terminator was not being created” (McCaney, 2016). In my humble opinion the future of unmanned vehicles will be promising as long as we as humans understand that these unmanned vessels should not be used until they’re proven to be safe. I also believe that we his humans need to be a little more open-minded; the unmanned vehicles are not here to takeover our lives and leave us jobless. I see a future when most of us will understand that everything operating unmanned is actually an extension of ourselves.
References
McCaney, K. (2016, March 14). Boeing's new autonomous UUV can run for months at a time' Defense Systems. Retrieved from https://defensesystems.com/articles/2016/03/14/boeing-echo-voyager-uuv.aspx
McCaney, K. (2016, April 12). Large, sub-hunting drone 'the shape of things to come' Defense Systems. Retrieved from https://defensesystems.com/articles/2016/04/12/darpa-actuv-unmanned-ship-christening.aspx
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