SHARCs track live submarine
October’s Unmanned Warrior 2016 demonstration saw a live submarine detected, reported and tracked by a network of persistent USVs for the first time.
The USVs – Liquid Robotics’ Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARCs) – used advanced Boeing acoustic sensors in the live anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission off the coast of Northern Scotland.
The SHARCs successfully detected and tracked an advancing AUV and a manned diesel submarine, providing detailed and actionable intelligence to commanders through more than 100 automated contact reports. The demonstration proved the potential of using USVs to efficiently and autonomously conduct ASW missions and exchange data in real time.
Kory Mathews, vice president, autonomous systems for Boeing Defense, Space and Security, said: ‘The Boeing and Liquid Robotics team are redefining the state of the art for autonomous maritime warfare. Our work during Unmanned Warrior demonstrates without a doubt the practicality of using autonomous systems to provide real-time actionable intelligence to our warfighters.’
The two SHARC systems operated 24/7 in harsh conditions – in waves in excess of 6.6m and winds of more than 60kts. They also provided real-time data on the weather and ocean conditions critical to the safe operation of the Unmanned Warrior systems.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
