NATO to Build Unmanned Patrol Fleet

Experimental unmanned vessels Ghost Fleet Overlord of American design. Photo by the US Department of Defense
NATO leadership is concerned about the increasing number of accidents involving underwater infrastructure in European countries and is seeking to prevent such incidents from recurring. As a new means of preventing such events, it is proposed to create fleet unmanned surface vessels of various types. These vessels will patrol key waters, detect suspicious activity and ensure the protection of underwater objects.
New plans
The Alliance's general plans for protecting underwater infrastructure were revealed on December 3 by Defense News. It received information on this topic personally from French Admiral Pierre Vandieu, who holds the post of head of development of the Joint Armed Forces of NATO.
During a conversation with journalists, Admiral Vandieu drew attention to recent accidents involving underwater infrastructure and stressed the need to prevent such incidents. According to him, NATO leadership is already actively working on this issue and has come up with an interesting idea based on modern developments.
It is proposed to create a large fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USV) that will patrol areas where important underwater objects are located. The admiral compared such a fleet to surveillance cameras used by the police. These cameras are placed in difficult areas and constantly film, they record offenses and help in their investigation.
According to Admiral Vandieu, the idea of creating an unmanned fleet has already received the approval of the Alliance leadership. It has been supported by NATO's Central Command and other high headquarters.

American unmanned boat MANTAS T-12. Photo MARTAC
Organizations and structures subordinate to Admiral P. Vendieu have already begun work on the creation of an unmanned fleet. However, at the moment the project is in its earliest stages, and no precise data can be provided yet. Apparently, even the most general features of the future fleet have not yet been determined - its size, composition, basing features, etc.
The admiral noted that the creation of the unmanned fleet will take place in several stages. At the first stage, its surface component will be created, consisting of patrol boats and vessels. Then it will be supplemented with underwater unmanned vehicles of similar purpose. The presence of two "flotillas" capable of operating above and below water will significantly improve the overall capabilities of the unmanned fleet.
Experiments with the surface component will begin soon. According to Defense News, the first unit of the UAV should begin service before the next NATO summit, scheduled for June 2025. This leaves less than six months to conduct the first experiments and reach the trial operation stage.
Obvious solutions
Admiral P. Vandieu and the specialized press have not yet disclosed all the details of NATO plans and the new project. However, even the published information allows us to roughly imagine what the prospective UAV fleet will be like, what equipment it will be equipped with and how it will be used.
It is obvious that the unmanned fleet will be created through the joint efforts of several NATO member countries. First of all, these will be states with access to the seas where the patrol UAVs will operate. The participation of other countries capable of providing the necessary financial or technical support is also possible.

Boeing Orca underwater vehicle, developed for the US Navy. Photo Boeing
Depending on their capabilities, the countries participating in the program will build or purchase the necessary equipment abroad. It will be deployed at existing naval bases and sent to patrol areas where underwater infrastructure is located.
The ultimate goal of the planned activities is to ensure permanent and rotating duty of the BES and AUVs near underwater objects. These vessels will have to continuously monitor the situation on and under the water, identify potentially dangerous objects and transmit data about them to the "large" fleet.
The management of the unmanned fleet can be organized on the basis of the existing contours and systems of the navies of various countries and NATO as a whole. At the same time, it can be expected that a new management body will appear in the structure of the united armed forces of the Alliance, which will coordinate and control the work of the ANP and the BEC.
The creation of such a headquarters or command is of critical importance. It will allow the transformation of individual "flotillas" of several navies into a single structure with broad capabilities. A common command will simplify the organization of joint or separate work of unmanned forces of different fleets, and will also ensure the exchange of data and the organization of various events.
On a ready basis
It should be recalled that NATO countries have long been engaged in the topic of unmanned fleet and have achieved certain successes in this area. It is obvious that the accumulated experience and developments will be actively used in the construction, deployment and use of the joint forces of the UAV. In addition, as necessary, this direction will continue to develop.

The experimental Manta Ray UAV developed by Northrop Grumman. Photo DARPA
The undisputed leader in the field of UES within NATO is the United States. Various Pentagon structures and military-industrial companies are actively engaged in this topic, developing new models of equipment and conducting tests. Some of these developments are already in trial operation as part of the Navy.
The Surface Development Squadron, an experimental unit of the fleet, plays a key role in the UAS development process in the United States. It tests new equipment, conducts various experiments, and takes part in exercises. It is assumed that in the future, SDS will participate in the process of full-scale deployment of new equipment and the creation of a full-fledged unmanned fleet.
The Royal Navy of Great Britain also has a similar unit called Navy X. It actively cooperates with commercial contractors, creates and tests new equipment. However, in terms of the scale of its activities, the British unit is inferior to its American counterparts.
Work in the field of UAVs is also being carried out in other NATO countries, but it is lagging behind in pace and yielding more modest results. Nevertheless, this does not prevent the fleets from making big plans and preparing to accept new equipment into service.
Unmanned vehicles
NATO countries are actively developing projects for UAVs of various classes. At the same time, work is underway on full-size vessels and small boats with autonomous control. In addition, considerable attention is paid to the creation of underwater vehicles with similar functions.

The British experimental Herne XLAUV. Photo by BAE Systems
To date, a number of different projects of unmanned small and medium-sized boats have been created. Due to their relative simplicity, this direction enjoys a certain popularity among developers. Small and medium-class equipment carries reconnaissance equipment, but can also be equipped with weapons. In particular, small kamikaze boats are being created, designed to hit targets with a direct hit.
There are also attempts to create larger UAVs. For example, the Ghost Fleet Overlord program is being conducted in the United States, the goal of which is to create a multi-purpose surface platform with a displacement of hundreds of tons. Existing vessels of suitable size and displacement are used as a basis for such projects.
The field of autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles is also actively developing. As in the case of the unmanned surface fleet, most of these projects belong to the light and medium classes. However, heavy models are also being created. Thus, Boeing is testing a full-size unmanned submarine Orca, and BAE Systems recently launched a prototype Herne.
Most of the UAV projects developed in the Alliance countries have not yet gone beyond testing and experience accumulation. However, some models have already reached trial operation and even combat use. For example, several types of foreign kamikaze boats are supplied to Ukraine and used to attack Russian facilities. Foreign experts claim that such systems are highly effective, but the objectivity of this assessment remains questionable.
Big plans
According to the latest reports, NATO will begin forming its unmanned fleet in the near future. The first results of these activities are expected during the first half of next year, 2025. If they satisfy the leadership of the Alliance, the program will be further developed, and in the medium term the desired fleet will be built.

Ukrainian unmanned kamikaze boat. Photo Telegram / «Рыбар»
It is claimed that the groups of unmanned vessels will be used exclusively for situational monitoring, patrolling and target search. They will monitor designated water areas and identify potential threats. The simultaneous use of surface and underwater assets is expected to significantly increase the effectiveness of such patrols.
It should be noted that the new "fleet" is currently planned to be used only to search for and identify threats. Apparently, in the near future, the UAVs will not be able to respond to them. To combat the detected threats, the "regular" fleet will probably be used and Aviation with the necessary striking means.
However, one of the directions of development of unmanned systems is the integration of various weapons for combating surface and underwater targets. This means that in the distant future, NATO's unmanned fleet may receive a strike function. After that, UAVs and AUVs will become full-fledged defense systems with all the necessary functions.
Joint efforts
Leading NATO countries have been working on the topic of unmanned vessels for various purposes for quite some time and have achieved some progress. New projects of this kind are currently being developed with an eye to being adopted into service and fully operational. Some models are already in service and solving real problems.
Judging by the latest statements, the process of development and implementation of UAVs is entering a new stage. Such equipment will be implemented not in individual countries, but on the scale of the entire Alliance. It is expected that this will improve situational awareness of the combined NATO naval forces in strategically important areas, help protect underwater infrastructure and, possibly, provide some other opportunities.
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