It’s later this century, and two warring nations’ navies approach one another across a battlefield known as the Pacific Ocean. Out front, on both sides, are fleets of 60′ to 180′ uncrewed surface vessels (USV). Each of the state-of-the-art USVs carries swarms of flying drones and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) that will be launched when the fighting begins. The nearest human is many miles away. By nightfall, all boats have stopped. Two weeks later, the fleets remain in the same positions. Military brass strategize. Politicians negotiate. Meanwhile, a 1,000′ containership is hundreds of miles across the Atlantic Ocean heading to multiple ports in Europe, carrying goods for hundreds of merchants. The nearest human in control of the ship is in Boston. Are these scenarios, or something like them, a possibility? “It’s not a question of if, but when,” Rylan Hamilton, co-founder and CEO, Blue Water Autonomy, said during the conference session, “Uncrewed Surface Vessels for U.S. Defense: Charting the Navy-After- Next” at the International WorkBoat Show earlier this month in New Orleans. Demand for autonomous surface vessels is rising as military and maritime operators seek persistent surveillance, logistics support, and force-multiplying capabilities without risking crews or incurring the full cost of manned ships. “The real future here is commercial maritime interests,” Doug Lambert, co-founder & COO of Austin, Texas-based Saronic Technologies, said as part of the same conference panel. But for now, the military is where it’s at for USVs, and Saronic is reaping the benefits. In December, the company completed the hull flip of its first 150′ Marauder USV at its shipyard in Franklin, La.

Full report : Future maritime battles will be fought with autonomous underwater vehicles say Saronic Technologies and Blue Water Autonomy.

For more see the OODA Company Profile on Saronic Technologies and Blue Water Autonomy.