US Navy Accelerates Drone Procurement

- The Kratos BQM-177A target drones are designed to emulate sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles, reaching speeds over Mach 0.95 and flying as low as 6.6 feet above the water. This provides a realistic training environment for ships to test missile defense systems like the Aegis Combat System. - The push for strike drones on warships without large flight decks, like destroyers, is a response to the limited missile magazine depth on these vessels and a need to counter adversaries with long-range anti-ship capabilities. The Defense Innovation Unit's "Runway Independent Maritime and Expeditionary Strike" (RIMES) initiative seeks reusable drones to solve this problem. - These initiatives are part of the Navy's broader goal to create a "hybrid fleet," with a long-term vision for about half of the surface fleet to be unmanned by 2045. This strategy is heavily influenced by the effective use of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in conflicts like the war in Ukraine. - The request for modular reconnaissance UAVs emphasizes the need for platforms that can be rapidly re-roled for different missions, such as surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, or electronic warfare, by swapping payloads. This aligns with the Navy's new Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) program, which merged the previous Large and Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel concepts. - The call for new carrier-based drones reflects challenges with integrating existing large unmanned systems onto aircraft carriers. The Navy's goal is to field "Collaborative Combat Aircraft" (CCAs) that can operate alongside manned fighters like the F-35C, extending their range and boosting survivability. - Key players like General Atomics and Anduril are developing concepts for the Navy's carrier-based combat drone, which will be purpose-built for catapult launches and arrested recoveries, unlike Air Force derivatives. - The Navy's expansion of unmanned systems extends underwater with the development of platforms like Lockheed Martin's Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV). This drone is designed to attach to the hull of a friendly submarine, charge itself, and then deploy for various missions, including surveillance, targeting, or launching other aerial drones. - This broad procurement strategy is backed by significant investment, with the U.S. Navy investing nearly $7 billion in unmanned systems for fiscal year 2026. The service is also creating new drone-focused units and program offices to accelerate the acquisition and fielding of these technologies.