A Paradigm Shift in Maritime Operations: Autonomous Systems and Their Impact (Airpower and Maritime Force Modernization)

This book is a follow on to the 2024 book entitled: The Coming of Maritime Autonomous Systems: Empowering and Enhancing the Kill Web Force.In this book. the coming of maritime autonomous systems (MAS) is considered in the context of how military technology affects changes in military operations. Maritime autonomous systems (MAS) are key part of the new revolution in military affairs and can contribute right now to the C2 and ISR revolution supporting decision-making at the tactical edge. And one can build from that to learning how they can provide other capabilities to those forces going forward. The book identifies how MAS can evolve through phases of use in shaping evolving concepts of operations and does so through looking at the approach of one of the more innovative companies which have developed these platforms, MARTAC, a company based in Florida.MARTAC has built a range of USVs of different sizes and carrying capacity. Each of their USVs has a common operating system, and the focus has been upon the pairing of the vessel with the payload carried. Whether it is an ISR, C2, Counter-ISR or weapons payload, the focused upon the performance envelope of the platform-payload combination of the particular vessel, understood as a node within an overall combat cluster.The MARTAC team has never focused on a single platform: they have always focused on a range of platforms defined by a performance envelope to deliver a desired payload. They operate as wolfpacks or armadas, but to get full value from these systems, the user, such as the U.S. Navy has to think run terms of wolfpacks not task forces.Such a shift is necessary to get full use of the new technology and to drive significant changes in maritime con-ops. It is an opportunity: it is an adventure, but it is crucial to achieve success in mastering MAS if the U.S. Navy can operate globally with limited capital ships and assets.It is a challenge but one which must be met in the era of great power competition.