The Coming of Age of Maritime Uncrewed Vessels
Jeanne-Mây Desurmont | 26 August 2024
Summary
Uncrewed maritime vehicles can be operated on the surface or underwater and can be either remotely controlled or fully automated.
During the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine successfully used maritime uncrewed vessels to inflict damage on the Russian fleet and infrastructures in the Black Sea.
Uncrewed underwater vessels also pose a significant threat to underwater infrastructure, especially subsea cables and they will likely play an important role in future naval strategies and conflicts.
Uncrewed vessels are fundamentally maritime vessels that operate without a human occupant or a crew. There are two main categories of unmanned vessels: surface vehicles and underwater vehicles. While uncrewed surface vessels are boats or ships on the surface, unnamed underwater vehicles more closely resemble drones. These two categories can be further subdivided into two levels of autonomy: remote control (controlled by a human operator) and full autonomy (operating independently from direct human input). Unmanned surface vehicles emerged during World War I, and underwater vehicles appeared in the 1950s. While underwater vessels were designed for scientific purposes, surfaced ships were used in warfare, in which Germany used remote-controlled FL-boats to target British warships. Surface vehicles were also used for minesweeping by the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II.
The use of maritime unmanned vehicles was highlighted during the current Russian-Ukraine War as the Ukrainians successfully denied the Russian navy to exploit the Black Sea. Ukraine primarily employed uncrewed surface vessels to target Russian vessels and infrastructures. In combination with naval mines and anti-ship missiles, Kyiv managed to prevent a Russian amphibious assault against the port of Odessa. Uncrewed surface vessels inflicted major damage to the Russian fleet as they struck at the surface as kamikaze vessels. These attacks impact critical parts of a vessel, including the inner structure, the engines or munition-storage areas, triggering a chain of explosions. As a result, Ukrainian intelligence confirmed at least 15 ships were sunk or heavily damaged. . However, it is important to note that this tactic is more effective due to the limited area of the Black Sea and might not be as effective in a conflict at open sea.
On the other hand, uncrewed underwater vessels can be used effectively in the high seas. They are a growing concern as they can be used to sabotage and destroy underwater infrastructures and especially subsea cables. Recently publicised as Ukrainian “drone boats”, they also attracted attention during the Nord Stream 2 cable incident. This event revealed the tactical potential of unmanned underwater vehicles for conventional warfare but also grey-zone warfare. Ultimately, remote-controlled vehicles provide states with stronger plausible deniability while decreasing their margins for legal manoeuvres.
U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons
Forecast
Short-term
While the Russia-Ukraine War revealed the tactical potential of maritime unmanned vehicles, it is likely that they will be used as the conflict continues.
Long-term
It is highly likely that the technologies of maritime unmanned vessels will further advance, and navies will need to improve monitoring and reconnaissance capabilities.
