The Office of Naval Research has introduced science and technology strategies with the goal to protect soldiers from harm, FedTech Magazine reported Thursday.
Rear Adm. Mathias Winter, chief of naval research, announced ONRâs initiative to further the development of autonomous systems at a naval exposition in Washington, David Stegon reports.
The new strategy aims to provide guidance to department members with an eye toward energy waste reduction, according to the report.
âIn science and technology we are focused on the here and now, but also setting goalposts for five, 10, 20 years down the line for what the innovations of the future will look like,â Winter said.
Winter highlighted ONRâs plan to use underwater systems in external environments and free up personnel for high-priority tasks, the magazine reports.
Stegon writes the ONR has been developing an autonomous flying-wing underwater glider for surveillance operations.
ONR intends for the project to build a hybrid manned and unmanned system such as an autonomous swarmboat that is designed to bombard enemy vessels and protect Navy personnel, FedTech reports.