U.S. Navy Establishes New Warfighting Centre For Robotic And Autonomous Systems

The US Navy has established a new centre that aims at integration of robotic and autonomous systems into the Navy’s operational framework.

The new centre will be tasked with developing tactics, training and procedures for operation of unmanned systems and preparing the Navy personnel for using such systems.

The Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Centre (RASWDC) is located at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia.

It will operate under US Fleet Forces Command and serve as the Navy’s main point of contact for the operational use of robotic and autonomous systems.

The establishment of the new centre makes it possible to connect developers of robotic and autonomous systems with sailors that will be using the new technology.

The Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Daryl Caudle have established the new centre.

The RASWDC will be collaborating with the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (DRPM RAS).

The centre was established in August to advance the acquisition and deployment of these systems across the Navy and Marine Corps. The two organisations will be responsible for different tasks.

DRPM RAS will deal with acquisition, budgeting, technical standardisation, requirements and fielding while RASWDC will concentrate on usage of systems in operations of the navy.

The Navy anticipates a direct exchange of information between these two organisations. Lessons learned during testing, experiments and training will be forwarded to developers and programme managers for improving future systems.

In addition, the center will conduct tests and experiments of the robotics and autonomous systems in operational environments and coordinate the use of these systems in multiple Navy warfare communities.

The center will develop the tactics, techniques and procedures for operating these systems.

Also, it will prepare the training programs for enabling sailors to use these systems.

The center will collaborate with different parts of the Navy for sharing the lessons learned with each unit.

Commander of the new center, Rear Adm. Melvin Smith, stated that the centre would bring together expertise from across the Navy and the United States.

Smith is leading a phased plan to establish the new command and prepare it for full operations.

This plan deals with the short, mid-term and long-term phases, including the organisation of the command, its relationships with other Navy organisations and resources necessary for it.

The Navy has yet to announce the date when RASWDC will achieve full operational capability.

The formation of this organisation comes after Caudle’s earlier calls for a specialised organisation to be formed to integrate robotics and autonomous systems, much like existing Navy centers in aviation, surface, and mine warfare.

Reference: US Navy