US Navy Plans Separate Commander for Robotic Autonomous Systems

The US Navy is planning to activate a dedicated commander for robotic autonomous systems (RAS) as it pushes to integrate modern unmanned vessels across the fleet.

The structure would manage and organize uncrewed capabilities in support of broader tasks, streamlining each operation for enhanced mission success.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle revealed the plan during the announcement of new “Fighting Instructions,” which outlined organizational-level overhaul amid evolving threats, according to Breaking Defense.

“This RAS commander, if you will, knows how to command and control these packages of unmanned capabilities to achieve the mission outcomes that the strike group commander may want,” the outlet quoted Caudle as saying.

“Where my head is, and we’re not there yet, a RAS warfighting commander — it’s almost a joint task force commander just for these systems alone.”

‘Discovery Phase’

The US Navy currently organizes RAS by domain, including undersea, aviation, and cyber.

If inducted, the planned RAS commander could coordinate those capabilities across domains and serve on a strike group staff alongside combat, information warfare, and air and missile defense commanders.

Caudle noted that the concept remains under development as the navy thrusts through a research stage to solve its “dilemma” over handling autonomous technologies.

“We’re in this discovery phase of how we actually just now assemble command and control of these forces through the administrative chain of command so we can actually fill, maintain, sustain and train sailors to actually bring these kinds of capabilities to bear,” Caudle said.