Rear Adm. Robert Girrier, U.S. Navy unmanned warfare systems director, has said the service branch plans to utilize integrated drones that can relay data to humans in a C2 function to aid decision-making efforts, Scout Warrior reported Monday.
Kris Osborn writes the concept would have an human overseer of C2 functions utilize groups of underwater drones that use sonar and other sensors simultaneously to detect and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships as well as collect oceanographic data and perform ISR missions.
The report notes some drones can use satellite integrated telemetry to transmit information and access areas that large submarines cannot penetrate and such technologies will help perform reconnaissance missions during operations in enemy territory.
“In the next five years or so we are going to try to move from human operated systems to human assisted systems that are less dependent on people,” Girrier said to Scout Warrior.
He added that the service branch also works with Waveglider platforms used to collect oceanographic and hydrographic information and also highlighted the MQ-25 Stingray program intended to create a carrier-launched unmanned refueling and ISR system.
