US Navy stands up hub to prepare unmanned systems for combat

The U.S. Navy announced Thursday a new development center that will train sailors to use autonomous technology in preparation for robotic systems to deploy across the entire fleet.

The service established the Robot and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia, ushering in a new era that will teach service members to be technically proficient while developing and fielding new combat-ready robotic systems.

“A prototype is not combat power,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said in a C-NOte message. “Combat power comes when a trained sailor can employ a reliable system, supported by the right networks, logistics, maintenance, software, tactics, authorities, and command relationships, to create an operational effect.”

The new center provides a place to work on autonomous system integration so that by the time sailors in the fleet get their hands on the technology, it is ready to be used.

RASWDC will first focus on training sailors at the center to understand the systems enough to employ them in combat, while developing a broader system for teaching that can be disseminated through the entire Navy to help service members learn the technology.

The center will help create warfighting concepts that delineate strict guidelines for how commanders build mission plans and set frameworks for autonomous systems to operate within. These guidelines become especially important when systems are forced to operate in combat environments where communication between robotic technology and the human in the loop is compromised.

RASWDC will also test emerging systems in environments that mimic those in which they will be deployed. Technology will be asked to perform at sea, under stress, against simulated threats and during degraded communication environments.

The systems that achieve their goal despite these obstacles will continue to be developed with the end goal of employing them on the battlefield, while others that fail will be retired.

Caudle defined the intended cycle as field, employ, learn, improve and scale.

Caudle released another C-NOte on Sept. 2, calling for the swift integration of lasers and their offensive capabilities into the fleet.

“The question is no longer whether these systems work — it is how quickly we can field them across the fleet and place them in the hands of sailors,” Caudle said.

On Tuesday, the Navy demonstrated a new information-sharing capability that allows it to streamline communication between operators and autonomous aircraft.