Advances in USV technology help develop tomorrow’s hybrid fleet
Red Cat has launched a maritime programme called Blue Ops to produce USVs. (Photo: Red Cat)
As services like the Royal Navy and US Navy aim to develop hybrid fleets to reduce reliance on and dangers to crewed vessels, L3Harris, Metal Shark and Red Cat step forward.
The revolution of autonomous systems is not occurring solely on land and in the air. Uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and systems that can be integrated aboard these vessels – some of which are meant to defeat other uncrewed systems – are being produced, tested and fielded.
Recently, Metal Shark and Red Cat announced advances in their future USV platforms. At the same time, US manufacturer L3Harris aims to expand its family of Vampire counter-uncrewed aerial systems (CUAS) with a maritime solution.
Earlier this year, Red Cat, which produces the Black Widow drone for the US Army, launched a maritime programme
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