The biggest maritime autonomy story today is the United Kingdom’s announcement of a new naval strategy that emphasizes uncrewed systems.
Instead of replacing its Type 45 destroyers with another class of large destroyers, the Royal Navy plans to acquire at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCVs) that will serve as command hubs for autonomous systems operating:
- In the air (UAVs)
- On the surface (USVs)
- Underwater (UUVs)
These ships are intended to coordinate large numbers of autonomous platforms during distributed maritime operations.
Why it matters for the U.S. Navy:
This closely mirrors the U.S. Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept and reinforces the trend toward smaller numbers of crewed ships directing larger autonomous fleets.
