Nomad Unmanned Surface Vehicle (“ Nomad ''), created as part of the Pentagon's “ Lord of the Ghost Fleet '' program (Ghost Fleet Overlord) has traveled 8,188 kilometers – from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal to the west coast. According to the US Navy, 98% of the route was in autonomous mode, only the captain took it through the Panama Canal. It took over a year to travel this distance and accomplish the missions assigned to the nomadic patrollers. Previously, the same type of Ranger ship used the same route, completing its cruise in October 2020. AiF.ru found out when robotic ships would surf the oceans.
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& nbsp; In what project and why was the unmanned spacecraft created?
& nbsp; Project 'Lord of the Phantom Fleet' was launched by the Office of Strategic Capabilities of the US Department of Defense in 2017. Its goal was to create medium and large robotic ships that could stay at sea for a long time without maintenance or human intervention. This ship is designed to participate in various combat operations independently or in conjunction with conventional warships. Initially, these platforms could become floating missile depots, autonomously following the fleet.
& nbsp; Unmanned ships & ndash; they are modernized high-speed commercial vessels, in which autonomous control systems have been integrated and combat systems have been added. So, in Nomad it was created based on the naval supply ship Riley Claire; under this name, it is still entered in the register. Now as part of the 'Lord of the Ghost Fleet' project created two unmanned surface vehicles & mdash; Nomad and Ranger are used to develop technologies.
& nbsp; What did the new water drone test give?
& nbsp; NOMAD's remote control was carried out from the Coastal Unmanned Operations Center, which was operated by U.S. Navy Sailors from the First Ground Development Squadron. The final voyage of the NOMAD unmanned spacecraft would have provided the opportunity to further test the ship's endurance, autonomous operations, and government command system interoperability. Authorized to test control, communications, computers and intelligence systems under autonomous working conditions.
It is reported that both vessels will participate in testing, continue to provide key system data, provide feedback to fleet operators and demonstrate the capabilities needed to continuously improve and evolve the concepts of & Operation of drones.
& nbsp; How is the Phantom Fleet project developing?
& nbsp; The program is currently in the second stage, it will last at least until 2022. The tests focus on the integration of control systems and the conduct of more complex tactical experiments. Then the ships will be handed over to the US Navy for further refinement, within its framework various weapon systems will be integrated.
& nbsp; The US fleet is actively developing the direction of unmanned ships. Last year, the US Navy signed contracts for an unmanned heavy shipbuilding program with six contractors. Until August 2021, Austal USA, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Fincantieri Marinette, Bollinger Shipyards, Lockheed Martin and Gibbs & amp; Cox is expected to present their plans for large unmanned vehicles. Each of the companies received approximately $ 7 million for the implementation of the task.
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