U.S. “silent swarm” unmanned technology test
According to foreign media reports, the U.S. Navy recently held an unmanned technology test code-named “silent swarm 2024”, focusing on the assessment of unmanned aircraft, unmanned boats in artificial intelligence and network technology to enable the ability to carry out electronic warfare through cluster operations. Foreign media said the test will be unmanned technology warfare method and the U.S. Navy “distributed kill” and other operational concepts fusion, aimed at improving the level of unmanned combat.
The U.S. Navy unmanned surface boats and littoral combat ships and other common cruise missions.
Test a variety of unmanned technology
It is reported that the “Silent Swarm” test series began in 2022 and has been held for two times. This is the 3rd edition of the test, held at the Alpena Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Michigan, U.S., and jointly organized by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division and the Michigan National Guard, the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic Division, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Army's C5ISR Center, and the Air Force Test Center. Agencies, groups and individuals from the military and related industries in the community participated.
During the two-week test, U.S. Navy drones and unmanned boats operated in clusters to conduct 57 technical tests, including evaluating capabilities such as augmented sensing, precision navigation and timing, as well as electronic warfare conducted in conjunction with military operations on the battlefield. The entire test is divided into three parts: load technology test, platform and technology combined utilization, and battlefield application.
In the load technology test, the UAV and UBoat will carry out relevant tests after installing a single technology module or multiple technology integration systems. For example, it will test the actual reception effect of unmanned boats on different power accusation signals, the detection distance of reconnaissance systems carried by unmanned aircraft, and the rate of data return.
In the combined application of platforms and technologies, the unmanned boats were organized in groups of 4, 8, 10, 14, etc., carrying technology modules to navigate long distances and carry out a series of basic courses; the UAVs carried out tests such as releasing “swarms”, command and control, and intelligent switching of tasks between UAVs. Among them, there are/unmanned joint, air/sea linkage is the highlight of this stage. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, far away from the shore-based command, tested the unmanned boat's ability to send a request for support signals to the safeguard ship over a long distance via UAVs, and eventually the manned ship to take over the task and other related capabilities.
In the battlefield application session, it mainly tests distributed electromagnetic attack, communication under extreme conditions, electromagnetic interference and fraud. The session is open only to the military and companies involved in the design, with observer missions from the UK and Australia.
Testing new domain combat concepts
Foreign media said that compared with the previous two sessions, the “silent swarm 2024” test is more comprehensive, and attaches importance to electromagnetic technology “soft kill”, as well as unmanned platforms, autonomous operations and other content assessment. In particular, the platform and technology integration, battlefield application of two links, the integration of the U.S. Navy “distributed kill” and other operational concepts, to further deepen the new domain concept of operation, the relevant details are worth studying.
According to reports, during the test, 10 unmanned boats received instructions, from the near shore to the preset points of rapid “silent” deployment, a short time to form a ring around the target. Subsequently, the AN/SLQ electronic system carried out electromagnetic attacks by means of concentration and alternation. After the attack, the unmanned boat group temporarily entered the “standby” state. Upon receiving the command again, the unmanned boat group activated the “distributed deception” mode, releasing electronic decoys one after another to lure the threat and consume the opponent's firepower.
At the same time, another batch of unmanned reconnaissance boats disguised as cargo caravans, when approaching the waters where the other side's forces are concentrated or important base ports, drop a large number of unmanned submarine vehicles. This batch of unmanned reconnaissance boats contains containerized reconnaissance and communication equipment, and a large number of underwater unmanned submarines to form a communication relay and situational awareness network, comprehensive intelligence collection and real-time communication data return.
In addition, the Naval Surface Warfare Center also organized two large-tonnage unmanned boats to carry out ultra-high-power signal suppression, disrupting each other's accusatory actions by continuously sending spam information to occupy the other side's spectrum channel in large quantities.
The Air Force Test Center is responsible for testing the tactical use of drone “swarms” on the battlefield. A number of small, miniature drones are launched by unmanned boats in batches, and according to the mission settings, they autonomously plan their routes to arrive over the target area, standby in front, center and rear formations, and carry out tasks such as electromagnetic saturation attacks, communication relay and acting as decoys for feints.
Accelerate unmanned systems construction
In recent years, the U.S. Navy has attached great importance to the construction of unmanned systems. On the one hand, equipment construction has accelerated. According to the U.S. Navy Guidance Plan, by 2045, the U.S. Navy will develop into a fleet of 373 manned ships and 150 unmanned surface ships and unmanned submarine vehicles. In May of this year, the U.S. Navy's 3rd Unmanned Surface Ship Squadron was established to focus on small unmanned ship tactical warfare and operational concept testing. In June this year, the U.S. Navy 6th fleet under the jurisdiction of the 66th task force to complete the adjustment and reorganization of the force, equipped with “ghost - 4” unmanned aircraft, “explorer” unmanned boats, at least 80 sets of unmanned technical equipment. According to the U.S. Navy, 26 large unmanned ships will be installed before 2026.
On the other hand, the U.S. Navy frequently conducts unmanned systems combat exercises, seeking to obtain future combat advantages. 2021, the U.S. Navy organized “unmanned systems integrated combat issues” exercises, aimed at integrating manned/unmanned systems combat capabilities; in 2022, the “Rim of the Pacific” military exercises, the U.S. Navy will continue to conduct unmanned systems combat exercises, and the U.S. Navy will also organize “unmanned systems integrated combat issues” exercises. “military exercises, the U.S. Navy sent four unmanned ships to participate in the exercise, which carries automatic control systems, electronic warfare, anti-submarine warfare and other mission modules, can perform anti-submarine, intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance, patrols and communications relay and other tasks; 2023, the U.S. Navy four large and medium-sized unmanned ship in the Asia-Pacific region, with the “Aegis “destroyers, littoral combat ships, P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft for distributed combat training.
Analysis said that the U.S. Navy frequently held unmanned systems exercises, on the one hand, to increase the defense budget to create momentum, on the other hand, will also intensify the competition in the field of unmanned systems, undermining regional peace and stability. In addition, with the continuous development of unmanned equipment technology, data security and privacy protection issues have been amplified, and how the U.S. military can deal with the relationship between technology and ethics is also a difficult issue.
