NATO tests aquatic drones to protect cables, coastlines

NATO is testing hardware for a potential force that would operate unmanned surface vessels (USV) to patrol the coastal waters of member states and also help protect undersea cables from attack.

The war in Ukraine has highlighted the usefulness of aquatic drones for reconnaissance and offensive missions. Ukrainian forces have been using remote-controlled drone boats to attack the Russian navy – when Elon Musk allows them to.

The pact's members want similar capabilities, and are planning a robot navy as soon as next year, according to admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO's supreme allied commander transformation. The organization recently took part in war games dubbed "Digital Talon 3.0," which saw the drone technology tested in a variety of mission profiles – including serving as aircraft carriers for flying drones.

Target ship terminated – Click to enlarge. Source: Marita Schwab/US Army

Submarine drones specifically designed to patrol undersea cables are already under development by groups like the Martoc Project. The US has a naval drone arm – Task Force 59 – and has been trialing autonomous and piloted naval drones as part of an offshoot, Task Force 59.1.

Lieutenant Luis Echeverria, who has over 60,000 hours of drone operations under his belt, commands the unit and in January declared the group is "ready to take the capabilities of TF 59's unmanned systems and chart new ground with manned and unmanned teaming concepts."

"We are 'the pioneers' for the future of our Navy," he added.

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NATO doesn't have a snappy name picked out as yet, but Vandier indicated that the force will come under the auspices of the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM).

"There is no name [for now], just USV Fleet," Vandier told Defense News this week. "In fact, it already exists, so somehow it's not very risky. The US has enforced Task Force 59 in the Gulf for years, so everything is known and sold – so it is much more a matter of adoption than technology."

Vandier said the plan was to move fast and have the first elements of the robot navy ready to sail by the time the next NATO summit comes around in June, 2025 – so that "NATO can see and monitor daily its environment." ®