Unmanned Transformation

'Autonomous Warrior' drives RAN to boost unmanned system roles in sea control, situational awareness

- Dr Lee Willett

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is underway with a major strategic and operational transformation. With a requirement to project power across the Indo-Pacific theatre to support national interests and wider coalition and international commitments, the RAN is returning to task group-based operations. Such operations are centred on its amphibious and maritime task groups (ATGs and MTGs). Its two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships and three Hobart-class guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) are the centrepieces of such task groups.

The in-service LHDs and DDGs are to be joined in the RAN’s force structure in the medium term by nine new Hunterclass frigates (based on the UK Type 26 Global Combat Ship design), 12 new Attack-class diesel-electric submarines (based on the French Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A design), and 12 new Arafuraclass offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) (based on the Lürssen PV-80 design). Such a growth in manned platform numbers is seeing the RAN also grow in numbers of people.

Alongside these manned platforms, the RAN is seeking to add unmanned, autonomous capability above, on, and below the surface. Unmanned platforms can support task group operations in several ways, such as conducting anti-submarine or mine warfare tasks. They can also help carry the burden of presence across the vast reaches of Australia’s interests, providing sustained surveillance in key areas instead of using a manned, high-end platform whose capabilities can be better deployed elsewhere.