Photo: LPhot Kyle Heller
Just as robotaxis and other types of self-driving vehicles are slowly making their way on the roads, military forces are working on integrating autonomous boats within their fleets. UK’s Royal Navy has recently hit a significant milestone, with one of its warships successfully controlling an autonomous vessel in a simulated operation.
The Royal Navy’s vision for the future includes uncrewed vessels being deployed together with frigates and destroyers for various missions. Throughout the year, the Navy has been testing its autonomous technology on different types of boats. Most recently, a week-long test demonstrated the successful coordination of HMS Argyll with the Pacific 24 rigid inflatable boat (RIB). Experts from NavyX, the Royal Navy’s innovation hub, and BAE Systems representatives conducted the tests in Plymouth, UK.
At first, the RIB’s control system was integrated on the frigate’s Ops Room so that HMS Argyll’s crew could control the autonomous boat entirely and send instructions to it. The warship operated the Pac24 from 10 miles (16 km) away and sent instructions for basic missions, such as identifying targets and then directing its camera towards the tracked target, so that HMS Argyll could use its weapons system to destroy it.
On the other hand, the cameras and sensors onboard the RIB sent constant information to HMS Argyll. Like most types of autonomous vehicles, Pac24 has sailors onboard for safety reasons, but it was entirely controlled remotely, from inside Argyll, throughout the trials. The Royal Navy has been developing its autonomous fleet for a few years now, and Argyll was its first ship to demonstrate the ability to control unmanned RIBs, in 2019.
HMS Argyll is the Royal Navy’s longest-serving Type 23 frigate, which has accumulated over 685,000 nautical miles since it entered service in 1991. But, despite its age, HMS Argyll is still a force to be reckoned with, after several upgrades improved its lethality through advanced weapon systems.
The Royal Navy is committed to developing uncrewed operations, and this recent milestone proves that it’s heading in the right direction.
At first, the RIB’s control system was integrated on the frigate’s Ops Room so that HMS Argyll’s crew could control the autonomous boat entirely and send instructions to it. The warship operated the Pac24 from 10 miles (16 km) away and sent instructions for basic missions, such as identifying targets and then directing its camera towards the tracked target, so that HMS Argyll could use its weapons system to destroy it.
On the other hand, the cameras and sensors onboard the RIB sent constant information to HMS Argyll. Like most types of autonomous vehicles, Pac24 has sailors onboard for safety reasons, but it was entirely controlled remotely, from inside Argyll, throughout the trials. The Royal Navy has been developing its autonomous fleet for a few years now, and Argyll was its first ship to demonstrate the ability to control unmanned RIBs, in 2019.
HMS Argyll is the Royal Navy’s longest-serving Type 23 frigate, which has accumulated over 685,000 nautical miles since it entered service in 1991. But, despite its age, HMS Argyll is still a force to be reckoned with, after several upgrades improved its lethality through advanced weapon systems.
The Royal Navy is committed to developing uncrewed operations, and this recent milestone proves that it’s heading in the right direction.
Google News