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Inexpensive but relatively effective, naval drones are changing the tactics of naval warfare in conflicts around the world.
As Business Insider writes, the Ukrainian Navy turned the tide in the Black Sea by disabling Russian frigates and minesweepers using remote-controlled Jet-Ski-style speedboats filled with explosives.
Houthi rebels have been attacking commercial vessels and US warships in the Red Sea with drone boats, and Israel's navy has deployed unmanned surface vehicles to intercept enemy boats and protect its coastline.
The US is expanding its fleet of naval drones
The US Navy is also getting involved. According to the publication, the service is experimenting with naval drones in combat conditions to expand its hybrid manned-unmanned fleet at a faster pace and with lower costs.
Each marine drone costs between $1 million and $3 million. They are used in combat conditions for gathering intelligence, conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, trawling mines and protecting critical underwater infrastructure.
With different designs, sizes and capabilities, military maritime drones can range from armed speedboats to miniature mine-hunting submarines. They can be equipped with high-definition cameras and advanced sonar to better navigate the murky depths.
Naval drones also protect manned vessels such as aircraft carriers and submarines, acting as the first line of defense in hostile territories.
As part of the Pentagon's Replicator initiative, announced in August 2023, the US Department of Defense plans to deploy thousands of low-cost drones over the next two years to counter threats on land, in the air and at sea.
"Ukraine has shown how effective they can be and how they can be used in current operations," says former US Navy officer and autonomous vessel advisor Brian Clark.
He estimated that the US operates about 200 maritime drones – 100 small drones on the surface and another 100 underwater.
The US is reportedly already deploying unmanned boats to monitor adversaries. In October 2023, a dozen different unmanned and manned vessels participated in an operation to track Iranian warships and gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz.
What is known about US naval drones?
The Navy used a high-speed USV interceptor called the Arabian Fox MAST-13 to photograph Iranian boats, drones and helicopters that were chasing commercial vessels and US warships passing through Middle Eastern waters.
Also, the US is experimenting with several different drones, including the Triton. As the world's first and only autonomous underwater and surface vehicle, Triton can operate in sail mode or in submarine mode with a variable sail.
It is also reported about the Saildrone Surveyor drone - which was built specifically for the Navy. It is the world's largest class of autonomous ocean mapping vehicle. This diesel drone uses an advanced system of radars and cameras, echo sounders and sensors to map and monitor the environment, remotely transmitting data using advanced machine learning to anywhere in the world.
A U.S. shipbuilding company has developed a mining drone known as the Remus 300. This small, portable, unmanned underwater vehicle can be launched as a torpedo from a ship or submarine. The Remus 300 can reach depths of up to 1000 feet (over 300 meters - ) and operate for up to 30 hours.
Naval drones are known for their effectiveness in surveillance, but Navy officials are also trying to increase their lethality. For example, one of the drones was equipped with a barrage high-precision lethal damage system. The 11-meter unmanned boat has a payload capacity of 4000 pounds (1800 kg - ) and travels at speeds between 80 and 115 mph (128 - 185 km/h), making it one of the fastest known attack boats in the world.
USA and China: confrontation on water
As Business Insider writes, maritime drones could play a key role in US efforts to contain China's invasion of Taiwan.
As the world's largest producer of drones, China is likely to use autonomous warfare amid rising tensions with Taiwan. However, the top US admiral in the Pacific has said that the US Navy is ready to deploy its own drone fleet if China invades Taiwan.
The Pentagon's Replicator program is reportedly aimed at matching China's naval might as its autonomous fleet continues to grow. However, the ambitious US initiative has its own obstacles.
The U.S. Navy has allocated just $172 million for 2024 acquisition of small and medium maritime drones and just over $100 million in 2025 – not to mention the research, development, testing, evaluation and training of crews needed to accompany the procurement…
The Pentagon also has to rely on American or non-Chinese drone manufacturers to build its autonomous fleet, which could take longer given China's dominance of the commercial drone market.
How did naval drones affect the tactics of the Russian Federation in Ukraine?
Ukrainian naval drones have become one of the reasons why the Russians hide their ships in their bases.
The occupiers replaced the naval component with an air component, in fact patrolling is carried out at the expense of planes and helicopters, including unmanned drones.
