Fueling the Unmanned Ships Via Underway Replenishment

Not much description with this video, but a team of sailors boards the unmanned vessel and rigs up a hose towed astern of the oiler for a fairly tradional astern refueling albeit while underway.

Future Fleet: Unmanned But Not Unarmed

Baby step - but an important one - as discussed in our recent interview with Captain Pete Small.

Listen to "Episode 602: The US Navy's Unmanned Programs, with CAPT Captain Pete Small, USN" on Spreaker.

All according to the Navy/and Marine Unmanned Campaign Plan:

The Medium and Large USVs of tomorrow offer promising solutions to expand the sensor and weapons capacity of the current Fleet. They will be Program of Record, purpose-built vessels that support distributed maritime operations through the Navy Tactical Grid. The MUSV platform is designed as an unmanned sensor-ship, built to carry modular payloads, and standardized to integrate with current and future Navy systems. The LUSV platform will be a high endurance, adjunct magazine, based on commercial designs and built around a common missile launcher with an integrated combat system. The LUSV will add meaningful offensive weapons capability and capacity in Strike and Anti-Surface Warfare.

Friday Films: Drone Anti--Submarine Helicopter (DASH) and the WWII TDR-1 Drone Torpedo Bomber

Before the U.S. Navy stopped this program, it provided small ships like destroyers with a stand-off ASW weapon. 160 ships underwent a modernization

program to allow them to carry DASH.

As you can see, DASH was not a big aircraft, and its counter-rotating rotors eliminated the need for a vertical tale rotor to stop it from spinning like a top . . .

More about DASH from its manufacturer, Gyrodyne from which the above photo was liberated with a hat tip. The DASH history is of particular interest.



As noted a couple of years ago here, such aircraft are not a new idea, though the electronics have improved considerably.

Background of the TDR Drone.

Friday Film: First Navy Assault Drones (1944)

Background of the TDR Drone.

Silent film involving the testing of the Navy TDR:



"NOLO" - "No Live Operator" aboard the aircraft.

From USNI News: Pentagon's "Unmanned Integrated Systems Roadmap FY 2013 -2038

"Document: Pentagon's Unmanned Systems Roadmap" from USNI News:

DOD-USRM-2013

Interesting Video: "Beyond Software: The Future of Conflict"

On my MP3 player is the audiobook version Peter Singer's Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century .

Below is a YouTube video of Mr. Singer leading a discussion with Admiral James Stavridis, USN (ret), Ms, Helen Greiner (iRobot co-founder), Col. Greg Conti, USA (Cyber Research Center, USMA) and investor/entrepreneur Yossi Vari on the topic of "Beyond Software: The Future of Conflict" - which makes some very interesting points. Enjoy!