Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group to Deploy With First Seahawk Unmanned Vessel
The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt will sail with a Leidos-built Seahawk medium unmanned surface vessel for the first time, marking the shift of the system from testing to operational use.
Breaking DefenseThe aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt is preparing to deploy with a Seahawk medium unmanned surface vessel as part of its strike group. This marks the first time a Seahawk MUSV will sail with a carrier strike group. The Seahawk is a Leidos unmanned vessel and an upgraded design of the company’s Sea Hunter autonomous vessel.
It supports anti-submarine warfare and maritime domain awareness and stems from a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiative. The Navy deployed four unmanned ships, including a Seahawk and a Sea Hunter, to the Western Pacific in 2023. The service officially announced the upcoming deployment with the MUSV at the Sea Air Space exposition in April.
Bradley Martin, a retired Navy captain and senior policy researcher at RAND, said the deployment is a significant development. “Up to now, it’s all been a matter of testing, and the actual use in operational deployment is a major step,” Martin said.
” Bryan Clark, a retired submarine officer and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said the deployment shows MUSVs have moved beyond experimental status.
“This is a regularly scheduled deployment by a full carrier strike group that shows MUSVs have progressed from science project to become part of the operational fleet,” Clark said. The Navy did not respond to questions about the exact departure date, how the deployment will shape unmanned concepts of operations, or when it plans to release an unmanned strategy.
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