The Piranha USV may be a visually striking vessel and well-suited for costal patrols, but at 54-feet in length, it’s far too bulky to effectively protect harbor interiors and the close quarters between US warships. This 11-foot inflatable from Rafael Industries, however, is small—and deadly—enough to defend the tightest of portsmouths. More »
Advances in unmanned military tools and vehicles have come on leaps and bounds, but, until now, we haven’t seen a weapon firing drone operating in the seas. A recent test taking part offshore near Maryland saw several missiles launched from a new remote-controlled inflatable-hulled ship. While the Navy has used drones before for mine clearing and other defensive tasks, the small boat (similar to that pictured above) is the first experiment to involve true offensive capabilities. The almost zodiac-like craft has been an ongoing project over recent years, and contains a fully automated system which the Navy calls a “Precision Engagement Module” which uses an Mk-49 mounting with a dual missile launcher manufactured by Rafael. The hope is that such vehicles could patrol the coastline, or serve as a first defense against pirates, and other such small, fast-moving seafaring dangers. If you want to catch it in action, head past the break for the video, but don’t be fooled. While it might look like a series of misses, the Navy claims this is just a trick of the camera angle, with all six missiles apparently making contact.
Continue reading US Navy tests first 11-meter missile-firing sea drone (video)
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US Navy tests first 11-meter missile-firing sea drone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Oct 2012 05:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The US Navy has a bit of a sub problem. While the American fleet has contracted over the past two decades, numerous nations that aren’t exactly our BFFs have expanded, with new, ultra-quiet diesel-electric subs. This proliferation has grown into a national security threat, but DARPA may soon have a solution—robotic submarine trackers. More »
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