Unmanned vehicles are beginning to hit the Navy. Now we have the US Navy examining unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) as potential alternatives for the aging out and refitting of their submarine fleet over the next twenty years. This is the same curve that has already taken off in air forces.
The service had hoped to leverage commercial UUV efforts — such as programs developed by oil companies — and tweak them for Navy use, but that equipment has failed to meet military requirements.
The programme will be more expensive and less useful, as commercial conversion has been ruled out. Quelle Surprise!