The U.S. Navy is preparing to deploy two medium-sized drone boats, the Sea Hunter and Seahawk, in 2026, signaling a significant advancement in unmanned naval technology. Capt. Garrett Miller, commodore of Surface Development Group One, announced this development during the Surface Navy Association conference in Washington on March 15, 2024. Both vessels, classified as medium displacement uncrewed surface vessels (MDUSVs), will transition from experimental prototypes to operational assets within the Navy’s fleet.
During his address, Miller confirmed that one of these drones will integrate with a carrier strike group, although he did not specify which drone or group would be involved. Previous reports suggest the Seahawk is the likely candidate for this deployment. The Navy plans to establish three “early command” unmanned surface vessel divisions in the near future, allowing them to expand their capabilities in unmanned technologies.
Growth in Uncrewed Naval Operations
By 2027, the Navy aims to have a total of 11 MDUSVs in its inventory, with projections to increase this number to over 30 by 2030. Both the Sea Hunter and Seahawk are manufactured by Leidos and have been utilized as pathfinder prototypes in various Navy exercises. The Sea Hunter was originally developed under a DARPA initiative, designed as an unmanned sub-tracker and sensing platform. Following insights gained from the Sea Hunter, the contract for the Seahawk was awarded in 2017, and the vessel was delivered to the Navy in 2021.
Navy officials assert that these uncrewed vessels will enhance a wide range of maritime missions, including counter-mine operations, kinetic strikes, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tasks. Despite the advancements, Navy representatives acknowledge that significant work remains to develop specific operational concepts for these technologies.
The Future of Unmanned Systems in Naval Operations
The integration of drones is expected to play a pivotal role in the Navy’s overall displacement strategy, contributing to the anticipated future Golden Fleet. Officials emphasize that uncrewed vessels will supplement rather than replace manned ships, ensuring a balanced approach to naval operations.
In a separate panel discussion at the conference, Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander indicated that the Navy foresees exponential growth in unmanned systems in the coming decades. This expansion aligns with a broader initiative by the Pentagon to leverage drone technology effectively. Alexander conveyed his expectations that by 2045, approximately 45 percent of the Navy’s surface force will consist of unmanned systems, underscoring a profound shift in naval warfare capabilities.
“The future is now,” Alexander stated, highlighting the immediacy of advancements in unmanned and autonomous systems, as well as artificial intelligence in naval operations. This transition marks a significant evolution in how the Navy will conduct operations in the years to come, as it embraces the potential of uncrewed technology in modern warfare.
