The United States military launched a first-of-its-kind experimental unmanned surface-mounted sea-borne test designed to detect, escort and destroy submarines.
Launching in the sea, made by type of catamaran, "sea hunter" (Sea Hunter) made from the base of the US naval forces Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, located on the coast of the US Pacific state of Hawaii.
The development of the apparatus is carried out in the framework of the Pentagon’s program to create the Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vehicle, an unmanned surface vehicle, unmanned aerial vehicle.
The main tasks of the tests currently being conducted are to confirm the capabilities of autonomous actions of remote-controlled combat vehicles at significant distances from their command and control points.
Particular emphasis is placed on monitoring the uninterrupted operation of the means of receiving and transmitting commands between the drone and the operator of the control complex, which can be deployed both on the ground and on the inhabited seagoing ship.
According to the Department of Defense's promising research projects by the US Department of Defense (DARPA), Sea Hunter is the first robotic unmanned ship of the ocean zone developed by American designers that can autonomously be in the open sea for several months without logistic and technical support.
Laid Sea Hunter in April 2016 at the shipyard in the port of Oregon, Portland.
American naval commanders expect that in the future such ships will become a real means to combat submarines and conduct mine action mine operations.
The length of the drone is about 30 meters. If the cruising speed of 12 knots (up to 22.5 km / h) is observed, the ship will be able to travel at least 10,000 nautical miles (18,500 kilometers) without additional maintenance and refueling.
The cost of one ship is estimated at 23 million US dollars, operating costs when finding a drone in combat service according to the forecast of American experts should be in the range of 15-20 thousand dollars a day.
The US Navy admirals are very much looking forward to the ship being built, considering the Sea Hunter as a new anti-submarine weapon. It is especially emphasized that the presence of a large fleet of these middle-sized UAVs with expanded capabilities will provide the American naval forces with an advantage over any naval power, including, of course, Russia with its navy.
