On 20APR2021, a couple of composite trimaran hulled robots sailed around San Diego, California. One is called Sea Hunter, the other Seahawk.
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe.
This one is called Seahawk.
USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe, 21APR2021.
Seahawk.
USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe, 21APR2021.
USN video of Seahawk and Sea Hunter, by Petty Officer First Class David Mora, 20APR2021:
USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Thomas Gooley.
This one is Sea Hunter. It is already five years old, with more than 30-thousand miles of sailing.
USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe.
Sea Hunter is the result of a DARPA Anti-Submarine Warfare challenge. Anybody old enough to remember when the activities of DARPA were considered nothing more than ‘conspiracy theories’?
USN video by Aaron Lebsack, Sea Hunter’s arrival (by barge) in San Diego, May 2016:
USN video report announcing the DARPA Sea Hunter:
USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Thomas Gooley.
A closer look at the newer $35.5-million Seahawk, departing Naval Base Point Loma, 20APR2021. Construction of Seahawk began after a contract was signed at the end of 2017. Delivery of Seahawk was made just days before the U.S. Navy’s (USN) UxS IBP 21 in San Diego, California.
USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe.
Another look at Seahawk during UxS IBP 21. Seahawk and Sea Hunter are made by a company called Leidos.
UxS IBP 21 stands for Unmanned Systems (not sure why there is an ‘x’ in the acronym) Integrated Battle Problem 2021. UxS IBP 21 is the first ‘classified’ USN wargame involving robot vehicles and weapons competing against people operated systems, apparently spurred by doubts coming from the U.S. Congress: “With the recent acquisition failures on the last several ship classes, those of us on this committee are skeptical of the Navy’s ability to shepherd this new technology into employable assets that contribute to the lethality of those forces.”-Representative Elaine Luria of Virginia
IBP 21 took place from April 19th to the 26th.
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