Rand on USVs
ODIM Brooke Ocean USV Concept The U.S. Navy has experimented with Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) for several years now, but has not yet deployed any in operational roles. At the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations, Assessment Division (OPNAV N81), the RAND Corp has released the definitive study on Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) for naval use. The study analyzed the suitability of USVs for 62 different naval missions (yes, there are that many). USVs were compared to other platforms, including manned, and unmanned (UUVs and UAVs). According to the report, USVs are more suitable than other platforms in missions requiring longer endurance, higher power availability for payloads, and the ability to interface “cross domain” sensors and with other platforms above, on, and below the water. The report also highlighted the favorability of this type of platform in dangerous anti-access/area-denial (A2AD) environments, where they could collect intelligence, and conduct ele