U.S. Navy researchers are testing unmanned boats that can swarm adversaries as a way to protect the U.S. Naval vessels of war. The project, which remained a secret until a video was released on Oct. 4, is launched by the Office of Naval Research. It is aimed at providing better protection to American sailors while they are docked at various port locations.
The video shows five unmanned boats confronting a suspected attacker and blocking it from approaching the larger vessel. All of the unmanned vessels are remotely controlled by a single human navigator standing safely at a distance of 11 meters.
The research came as a result of the suicide bombing attack that occurred 14 years ago when a small craft carrying explosives went near the USS Cole. The latter was said to be conducting its usual refueling operation and was docked at the port of Aden, Yemen. The blast resulted in the immediate death of 17 American sailors and the wounding of 39 others. The attack has prompted the Navy to re-evaluate rules of engagement.
The USS Cole bombing is deemed the deadliest attack aimed at a U.S. Naval vessel since 1987. Such type of attack could have been avoided if the vessel had been assisted by a swarm of boats, which could have stopped the suicide bomber from approaching.
"If an adversary or threat decides to come closer, we can give them another warning or potentially we can say, 'You've come too close, we are now going to destroy your vessel,'" said Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, chief of naval research.
Now, the U.S. Navy is testing a new technology dubbed Control Architecture for Robotic Agent Command and Sensing (CARACaS). It uses a transportable kit that is installed on any type of small surface boat.
Once installed, the boat instantly transforms into a so-called drone boat, allowing it to interdict weapons and synchronize with other drone boats so as to coordinate automated assaults on enemy ships. However, the unmanned boats are not designed to fire weapons on their own, which eliminates the danger of unplanned shooting. Navy officials claim that there will be a real human that would be assigned to perform such task.
The drone boats, otherwise known as swarm boats, could be deployed as early as 2015. The researchers are working on improving the onboard sensors in order for them to handle more effectively all kinds of situations in an uncontrolled environment.
