It's a (momentary) step forward, until Hadji decides to use the dreaded 14-boat response, armors his craft, and loads decoys with women and children in order to AlJazeeraTube the inevitable PR disaster that will ensue.Self-guided unmanned patrol boats that can leave warships they're protecting and swarm and attack potential threats on the water could join the Navy's fleet within a year, defense officials say.
In the demonstrations, as many as 13 small unmanned patrol boats were escorting a high-value Navy ship. Then as many as eight of the self-guided vessels broke off and swarmed around a threat when a ship playing the part of an enemy vessel was detected, the office said, calling the demonstrations a success.
The boats can decide for themselves what movements to make once they're alerted to a threat and work together to encircle or block the path of an opposing vessel, depending on that vessel's movements and those of other nearby vessels.
The rigid-hull inflatable patrol boats can also fire .50 caliber machine guns if called upon to do so. However, a human will always be the one to make the decision to use lethal force, officials said. A sailor on a command ship would be in charge of each of the unmanned boats and could take control over any of the boats at any moment.
The enemy always gets a vote.
But at least they're thinking about this stuff.
Considering the USS Cole bombing happened 14 years and three presidents ago, this must be a speed record for fielding a response.
I defer to the Navy systems aficionados, but presumably it wouldn't be that much more expensive to simply put in more CIWS on the actual high value craft for the same cost, and with a notable improvement on the accuracy and firepower of a 20mm over a remote-guided Ma Deuce bouncing around on a RHIB. I have no doubt the GM ratings would be in favor of that, along with anybody who still thinks a surface warship should be able to, ya know, fuck hostile stuff up.
