False Hope – are large scale autonomous vessels the answer?

False Hope – are large scale autonomous vessels the answer?

16 Jul 26
Posted by: Lt Patrick A Bingham RN
17 minutes, 34 seconds read
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This article explores some of the undiscussed issues and challenges facing the introduction of large-scale autonomous vessels under the ‘hybrid navy’ plan. The aim of this article is not to nay say and stick one’s head in the sand, but rather to identify the very real challenges facing implementation, their limits, and the importance of maintaining capable crewed warships to restore the RN fleet as a capable naval force. A 20 minute read.

The last decade has seen a rapid decline of hull numbers and loss of capability able to independently proceed to sea and operate without support from other units. This has been most acute in the subsea domain with the withdrawal of five Sandown MCMV and the two ships of the Echo-class within the last 5 years alone. The replacements are small, highly mobile teams operating autonomous systems from other platforms (HUNT, B1 OPV, Vessels of Opportunity). This has been a clear indicator of the senior leadership future direction; autonomous force multipliers, designed to reinforce the new T26, T31 a…

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