US 5th Fleet demonstrates at-sea uncrewed systems integration

29th October 2021 - 09:01 GMT | by Harry Lye in London

RSS

A MANTAS T-12 USV operates alongside US Coast Guard patrol boat USCGC Maui during exercise New Horizon. (Photo: USN)

Specialising in uncrewed systems, Task Force 59 is the first of its kind within the USN — it completed its first integration exercise in October, just six weeks after it was set up by NAVCENT.

US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) Task Force 59 has completed its first uncrewed systems integration exercise at sea.

Task Force 59, established to focus US 5th Fleet efforts on integrating uncrewed systems and AI, evaluated the MANTAS T-12 USV alongside US patrol craft and assets from the Bahrain Defence Force.

The exercise marks the first time NAVCENT has integrated USVs with crewed vessels at sea in the US 5th Fleet area of operations, which covers the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Exercise New Horizon also marked a first for NAVCENT, integrating the USV with …