U.S. Army Targets Up to 100 Uncrewed Vessels to Automate Its Pacific Watercraft Fleet
The U.S. Army plans to buy as many as 100 uncrewed surface vessels and add autonomous functions to existing boats, reshaping how its watercraft fleet supports operations in the Pacific.
The U.S. Army is seeking to overhaul how its watercraft operate in the Pacific by adding automation at scale. Reporting says the service wants to buy up to 100 new uncrewed surface vessels and integrate autonomous capabilities into its current crewed boats.
The Army maintains its own watercraft fleet, sometimes informally referred to as its "Navy," which moves equipment, supplies, and troops between ports and islands. In any conflict involving dispersed forces in the Pacific, those missions would be central.
The current plan has two parts. One is the acquisition of up to 100 uncrewed surface vessels that can operate without personnel on board. The other is retrofitting existing crewed vessels with autonomous systems so they can be operated with or without crews and follow pre-set routes under supervision.
In practice, this could shift some of the riskiest logistics tasks to machines. Dangerous resupply runs to areas within range of missiles or other threats could be handled by uncrewed boats, reducing exposure for soldiers and civilian mariners.
Automation also promises to change how the fleet is managed. Uncrewed or optionally crewed vessels can be tasked more flexibly, repositioned with software updates, and used to move cargo, act as decoys, or perform surveillance, depending on how the Army chooses to employ them.
The approach fits within a broader U.S. military interest in uncrewed systems at sea. The Navy is testing medium and large uncrewed vessels, and the Army’s focus suggests it expects its own watercraft to play a role in contested maritime environments rather than operate only in secure rear areas.
Technical and operational challenges remain. Reliable sensors, communications links, and software will be needed for these vessels to navigate busy coastal waters and potential electronic interference. Questions about how armed or unarmed uncrewed vessels should be used near civilian shipping will also have to be addressed.
Key indicators to watch include how quickly the Army moves from planning to fielding prototype uncrewed vessels, how much funding Congress ultimately approves for the program, and how closely the Army’s watercraft concepts align with those of the Navy and other services working on similar technology.
Sources
- OSINT