By Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s use of unmanned systems in the U.S 4th Fleet area of operations (AOR) is enabling the fleet to move from experimentation to operationalization of the unmanned systems, even discovering unanticipated advantages of those systems.
The stability of the region and the relatively benign environment — from high-end threats — of the fleet’s AOR has enabled the fleet to experiment with unmanned systems and develop trust in them, said Rear Admiral James Aiken, commander, U.S. 4th Fleet and commander, Naval Forces, U.S. Southern Command, in a March 27 Defense One webinar conversation.
“This is a take-risk AOR,” Aiken said, noting that the environment allows the fleet to experiment in “creative ways” with unmanned systems.
“We want to take unmanned systems and operationalize them,” he said.
For one example, he said that unmanned surface vessels can identify ships and boats engaged in illegal fishing.
The admiral said that leasing unmanned systems for experimentation — as opposed to procuring them — enables the fleet to more easily discontinue use of systems that prove inadequate. He mentioned one system — which he did not name — that proved to be deficient for its role in high sea states.
Aiken said that during the last UNITAS exercise with regional navies, a representative from the U.S. 5th Fleet attended as an advisor. The 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59 has for several years conducted experimentation with unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the Missile East.
Aiken said that one surprising discovery was the deterrent value of USVs. He said that the very presence of Saildrone USVs north of the northern coast of Haiti served as a deterrent to migrants seeking to reach another shore, including the United States.
