The Sea Hunter is a 132ft vessel the US Navy recently sent from San Diego to Hawaii and back, the fist unmanned vessel to do so. But they want a fleet of far larger unmanned warships
Daily Mail: Ghost Fleet: US Navy reveals plans for a $1bn fleet of massive unmanned vessels for 'dirty and dangerous' missions
* US Navy wants $400million for the first two vessels to be built in 2020
* The 300ft warships will be packed with anti-air and cruise missiles
* Designed for missions where risk of injury, capture or death is highly probable
* They will be larger than the Sea Hunter, a 132ft unmanned ship, built in 2016
The US Navy wants to buy ten massive robotic ships as part of its Ghost Fleet within the next five years, capable of being deployed on 'dirty and dangerous' missions.
The 300ft warships, packed with anti-air and cruise missiles, will weigh in at some 2,000 tons and the first two are billed at $400million. The rest will cost an estimated $600million.
Similar to the smallest 'rated' class of warship, the Corvette, the Navy wants them deployed on 'three D missions.' That is missions which are 'dull, dirty and dangerous.'
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Update #1: Navy in the process of developing an unmanned “Ghost Fleet” (War Is Boring)
Update #2: US Navy plans corvette-sized unmanned fleet (Naval Technology)
WNU Editor: The US Navy is late to the drone game, but they are catching up fast.
