The Navy's robotic Ghost Fleet takes shape:
The autonomous ships will be armed with a dozen or more VLS cells carrying anti-ship and land-attack and anti-aircraft missiles as well as RWS (remote weapons stations) armed with machine-guns or autocannon for defense. The main function of the Ghost Ships would be ELINT (Electronic Intelligence), ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) and similar support functions. Encrypted satellite communications would handle sending data and receiving commands from manned ships or land bases. Sensors include the usual array of vidcams, radar and acoustic sensors to help with navigation and security. On the open ocean these ships could be boarded by hostile forces seeking to take over the USV or just plunder it (as in pirates) of anything valuable and portable. There will probably be a landing pad for manned or unmanned helicopters. The unmanned aircraft would assist with the mission while manned helicopters could land to deal with any malfunctions if a ship was not close enough to take care of this.
From the weapons load and intent to deploy them in the Pacific, I think the main function of the USVs will be sinking Chinese ships. Although scouting for conventional ship and helping them target Chinese ships will be more important.
Let's hope they can lay naval mines, too.
As for boarders, in wartime the RWS should take care of that. And if we change rules of engagement, pirates should be floaters, too.
Are these going to be disposable or will there be robotic tug boats to tow damaged Ghost Fleet USVs to port for repair or salvage?
