The Aug. 25 announcement comes in the wake of its coast guard killing a Vietnamese fisherman following a confrontation off the Malaysian coast. And both countries along with China were recently involved in a three-way standoff over oil exploration.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday took on his latest role in August 2019 and has since been vocal about not just the need to field new tech, but also figuring out how it all fits together.
As the U.S. Navy pushes forward with developing its large unmanned surface vessel, a growing consensus is forming that the service needs to get its requirements and systems right before making a big investment.
Fielding unmanned maritime systems will ensure continued U.S. naval dominance and support the industrial base. Unfortunately, Congress is considering disrupting funding to the research and development of this technology.
