Page 22 - ADT MARCH / APRIL 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

FORCE MULTIPLIERS

Navies across regions have taken note of Ukraine’s

effective use of Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs)

against Russian warships

By ARUN SIVASANKARAN

I n the summer of 2023, four as well as the service’s Ghost taking notes from Ukraine’s imagi-

native use of swarm tactics and its
Fleet USV prototypes Ranger and
autonomous ships assigned to
U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Surface
kamikaze USVs against Russian
cal improvements in USVs due to
Vessel Division 1 left California and Mariner. Enthused by technologi- highly successful deployment of
headed to Hawaii before reaching advances in digitization, commu- warships and naval facilities.
Japan and Australia. nications and artificial intelligence, Unable to counter the ferocity of
the Navy intends to use unmanned attacks against its Black Sea Fleet
or optionally manned vessels to stationed in Crimea, Russia has
The news did not generate many extend the awareness and deepen moved its fleet further away from
headlines, but the service had sent the magazines of manned ships. Ukrainian missiles and USVs.
out a clear message – Unmanned
Surface Vessels (USVs) and other Learning Lessons
unmanned systems are set to “The ability to turn one
feature prominently in its surface An ongoing conflict validates surface action group of
fleet in the not-so-distant future. Pentagon’s decision to invest in three destroyers and a
The vessels deployed were medium USVs and other naval unmanned
USVs Sea Hunter and Sea Hawk assets. Militaries across regions are certain number of USVs

22 | MARCH - APRIL 2024 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/ADT