The United States Navy’s autonomous swarm boats provide several advantages for naval warfighters. Even though autonomous and robotic technologies became widespread in both airborne and ground-based operations long ago, aquatic operations remained untouched until relatively recently. Autonomous swarm boats represent the progress that military watercraft has made over the decades. This new technology enhances marine protection – it allows for overwhelming adversaries more easily and enables swarming capabilities.
To turn a boat into an unmanned autonomous maritime platform, one significant modification is made. Hence, according to the video, to be modified into a swarm boat, a regular ship is equipped with a software kit named CARACaS (Control Architecture for Robotic Agent Command and Sensing) (U.S. Navy Research, 2014). This software kit can be installed into a variety of small crafts with minimal changes – one of its main advantages. The software was adapted with the Office of Naval Research’s support from NASA’s Mars rovers that served as the basis for developing CARACaS. The software kit allows boats to sense the environment and react to it. The advancements in AI, machine perception, and distributed data fusion prompted this characteristic. The swarm boats represent a union of radars, software, and various sensors that enable small ships to act independently.
Overall, the video demonstrates how the installation of CARACaS augments maritime protection by giving commanders an option to operate from a distance via swarm boats. Hostile ships can be neutralized, deterred, or damaged using the technology from a distance. Autonomous swarming extends the reach and the zone of operation. Therefore, the technology confers an immense benefit to the United States Navy, increasing the defense of ships and sailors onboard.
Reference
U.S. Navy Research (2014). Autonomous swarm [Video file]. YouTube. Web.