Sea Hunter, the U.S. Navy's only operational medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV), will join fleet exercises in 2021 to integrate better with the new Zumwalt-class destroyers and the upcoming large unmanned surface vessels (LUSV).
The Navy's plans for 2021 include the use of the robot Sea Hunter in multiple fleet exercises that will train Navy sailors on these platforms, said Rear Adm. Casey Moton, Program Executive Officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants.
In these tactical training events, Sea Hunter will work alongside two new "Overlord" LUSVs "to exercise manned ship control on multiple USVs, test command and control ... perform as part of the surface action groups."
The Overlord LUSV, essentially a large robot warship, will be the end-product of the Navy's Overlord program. Overlord will be able to do virtually everything a larger manned vessel can do. It will carry out orders with very little interaction with sailors once it gets underway.
"The Overlord program will develop core autonomy, communications, and C2 components and field prototype USVs capable of being seamlessly operable with the fleet," said a program document.
"The Overlord program will have built in redundancy in all critical hardware and software systems. The program will involve integration and test of payloads for [electronic warfare], [anit-surface warfare] and [strike warfare]."
The Navy's new "Surface Development Squadron One" (SURFDEVRON) is tasked with developing the concepts of operations for USVs. It currently operates the only Sea Hunter prototype. A second Sea Hunter will be completed in 2021, as well as two Overlord prototypes.
"This year our two Overlord vessels will transit to the West Coast and execute a busy year of testing which includes autonomous transits and development vignettes," said Adm. Moton.
He said testing thus far has included integration of autonomy software and automation systems and perception systems, and demonstrating the ability to perform safe, autonomous navigation.
SURFDEVRON will focus its early efforts on experimenting with the futuristic three Zumwalt guided missile destroyers. Of the three warships, only the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) has been commissioned into the Navy.
The second Zumwalt, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001), was commissioned earlier this year but has yet to complete its combat system activation. The third Zumwalt, USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002), is still being built at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine.
The new mission of all three Zumwalts is surface-to-surface combat. SURFDEVRON will pair MUSVs such as the Sea Hunters and LUSVs such as the Overlords with the Zumwalts. The pairings will allow SURFDEVRON to learn how to pack the most offensive punch with this combination.
From 2020 to 2023, the three Zumwalts and two Sea Hunter USVs will begin experimentation as the squadron increases its manpower.
