The development potential of unmanned surface vehicles is enormous
2024-11-20
According to French media reports, several exhibitors recently unveiled new unmanned surface vessels at the 2024 European International Naval Equipment Exhibition held in Paris, France. Analysis suggests that unmanned surface vessels have emerged in recent local conflicts and will play a greater role in future surface warfare. According to an analysis report by a market research company in the United States, the global market value of unmanned surface vessels is expected to reach $1.75 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.9%, and is expected to reach $3.45 billion by 2030. Although the overall scale is less than half of the unmanned aerial vehicle market, only about 1/6 of the unmanned aerial vehicle market, its growth rate is twice that of the latter two, demonstrating enormous development potential. From the perspective of operation mode, currently, remote control unmanned surface vessels occupy 51% of the market share, and unmanned surface vessels combining autonomous and remote control also occupy a certain proportion. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and sensor technology, the growth rate of autonomous unmanned surface vessels will reach 14%, and it is expected to occupy the main market by 2030. From the perspective of tonnage endurance, due to factors such as battery technology, remote control technology, and usage costs, unmanned surface vessels with small and medium-sized tonnage and endurance less than 100 hours occupy the main market share. Through analysis and prediction, taking into account factors such as technological progress and diverse mission requirements, it is expected that by 2030, unmanned surface vessels with medium tonnage and a range of 100 to 500 hours will become a key focus of development for many countries. From a regional perspective, due to the leading budget of the United States compared to other countries in the world, North America holds the largest market share. In June of this year, the US Department of Defense signed a total of $982 million in unmanned surface vessel research and development contracts with 49 defense and technology companies, accounting for more than half of the global market value by 2024. In addition, Asian countries such as India continue to increase investment in related industries, driving the Asian region to become the fastest-growing area. The development direction varies and is limited by factors such as geographical environment. Countries that develop and use unmanned surface vessels are fewer than those that use equipment such as drones and unmanned combat vehicles. These countries build different types of unmanned ships according to their own strategic demands. The United States fully invests. According to the US Navy Structural Plan 2045, the US military plans to establish a fleet of 150 unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles by 2045. In terms of medium and large unmanned surface vessels. In 2020, the US military invested $41.98 million in the development of medium to large unmanned surface vessels to form the "Ghost Fleet". In 2023, the largest unmanned ship of the US military, the Apalachicola Rapid Transport Ship, will be commissioned. This year, the "Vanguard" large unmanned ship was launched. The US military plans to officially purchase large unmanned surface vessels, with a total of over 10, after completing technical tests on the "Ghost Fleet". In terms of small unmanned surface vessels. In recent years, the US military has accelerated the adjustment of its military structure, aiming to create a widely distributed, miniaturized, and low-cost unmanned surface vessel swarm combat mode. In 2023, the US Marine Corps showcased the prototype of the "Remote Unmanned Surface Ship" project. The boat took about one year from design to construction, reflecting the modular, low-cost, and fast construction characteristics of US unmanned surface vessels. In May of this year, the US military established the 3rd Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron, which focuses on testing tactical tactics and combat concepts related to small unmanned surface vessels. Türkiye has developed rapidly. Since 2019, Türkiye has successively launched four unmanned surface ship projects, focusing on small ships with low cost and easy operation. In 2022, Türkiye's "Commander" anti submarine unmanned boat was launched for testing. The boat was equipped with multiple sonar and home-made "Orca" light torpedoes or new anti submarine rockets. In January this year, the world's first "gunfish" unmanned boat equipped with electronic warfare system entered Türkiye's navy. This boat can interfere and shield communication equipment and various radio signals. Australia focuses on dual-use military and civilian applications. In August of this year, Australia announced plans to deploy a fleet of 1000 unmanned boats over the next 10 years to conduct ocean data monitoring activities worldwide. According to reports, the "Blue Bottle" unmanned boat of the project is equipment developed under the leadership of the Australian Department of Defense and may have military intelligence gathering capabilities. The UK focuses on one boat with multiple capabilities. The small unmanned submarine produced by Atlas Electronics for the British Navy has a length of 15 meters, which can be changed into five versions, namely, anti submarine, anti ship, air defense, sensor platform and transport by carrying different functional modules. In addition, countries such as France, Japan, Portugal, and Italy are also promoting relevant research according to their own needs. Compared to manned vessels, unmanned surface vessels have many advantages in terms of endurance, operating costs, and deployment methods, and are also showing new characteristics in the process of continuous development. On the one hand, manned/unmanned hybrid formations will be a key focus of naval development for many countries in the near future. Some large warships have diverse weapons and equipment, strong firepower, long range, and strong deterrence, which effectively complement unmanned boats. In June of this year, the US Navy adjusted the 66th Special Task Force under the jurisdiction of the 6th Fleet, making it the first "all domain special task force". The fleet is equipped with 80 sets of unmanned technology equipment, including MQ-9 drones, "Explorer" unmanned boats, and "Slocum Glider" unmanned submersibles, and has practiced manned/unmanned cooperative operations in exercises such as the Baltic Sea Operation. On the other hand, unmanned/unmanned collaborative combat is a new trend in the future. At the end of 2023, Türkiye will implement the joint action of unmanned craft and unmanned aerial vehicles for the first time. During the exercise, the TB-2 drone was responsible for detecting the specific location of the target ship and transmitting the information to a combat group consisting of eight "Albatross" unmanned boats, one of which successfully sank the target ship. Recently, the "Okus" alliance consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia completed a one week "Operation Maritime" exercise in Jervis Bay, Australia, focusing on the coordinated operation of unmanned systems such as the "Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Boat", the "Vanilla" long-range endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, and the "Sea God" amphibious unmanned vehicle. (New Society)
Edit：He ChenXi Responsible editor：Tang WanQi
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