Maritime armed surface drones can monitor and attack enemy targets, conduct forward reconnaissance of enemy positions, and provide necessary command and control data for human decision-makers in combat - all of which are part of large-scale power wars on the high seas.

It can serve both offensive and defensive purposes, while keeping sailors and surface vessels within a safer defense zone. The naval strategy believes that they operate in a coordinated swarm of unmanned aerial vehicle ships, connecting important war information across large spans of the ocean between surface, air, and even underwater areas. Such tasks are increasingly being implemented due to the advancement of autonomy, and are being strengthened by computer algorithms executing more and more program functions historically completed by humans. Of course, developers quickly emphasized that regardless of the progress made in autonomy, current doctrine requires human decision-makers to remain "engaged" when making decisions about the use of lethal force attacks.

Naturally, achieving these technological advancements is part of the Navy's large-scale strategic shift, as it transforms its attack concept into a merged and expanded fleet of surface and underwater drones. As described by Captain Pete Smale, the executive officer of the unmanned systems project, the plan includes new levels of autonomy, advanced command and control, emerging software, and various weapon configurations. Small stated at the 32nd Annual Surface Naval Association Symposium in January that many efforts to promote maritime autonomy are part of the emerging naval program, known as the Unmanned Maritime Autonomous Architecture.

We need them (surface drones) to match fleet conops (operational concepts) that operate near each other using multiple USVs (unmanned surface vehicles), "Small added, explainingThe new software and technology interface "enable us to upgrade autonomy on board and integrate additional payloads

Small said that the Navy is currently studying interface control documents for ocean drones to explore and integrate "autonomous and communication" operations. One of them involves a collaborative research and development agreement between Textron Systems and the Dahlgren Naval Surface Warfare Center in Virginia, which is exploring demonstrations of unmanned surface vessels equipped with firearms, rockets, and even various missiles. We are planning to develop and showcase a concept validation for the surface warfare suite; the CUSV (Destron Universal Unmanned Surface Vehicle) mission set will be surface warfare, which includes integrating direct and indirect firepower systems for use in multiple ways, "Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President of Applied Technology and Advanced Projects at Destron Systems, told Warrior Marvin in an interview.

The testing and demonstration are constantly evolving through a collaborative research and development agreement between Deseron and the Navy, aimed at exploring, prototyping, and ultimately deploying armed unmanned surface vessels.

With the continuous and rapid development of communication and network technology, drones will increasingly be able to function with cross domain capabilities, which means operating across air, sea, land, and seabed. The personnel at the control station can execute commands and control functions using low bandwidth connections without actually driving the vessel. Small elaborated on this, explaining that the Navy's constantly evolving surface and underwater command and control technologies will be integrated with the air platforms developed by the Naval Air Systems Command.

The Navy and ONR (Office of Naval Research) have been involved in the development of various USVs, including the Mine Detection Unmanned Impact Scanning System (UISS) equipped with sonar for coastal combat ships and other vessels. UISS is a universal unmanned surface vehicle or CUSV developed by Textron. According to De Shi Long Information, CUSV developed before 2009 can carry up to 4000 pounds of weight at a speed of up to 20 knots and fly for over 20 hours. In addition, its design can withstand waves up to 20 feet high.

The Navy and De Shilong are planning an upcoming demonstration to refine the requirements for surface drone armament, evaluate technology, conduct unit protection exercises, and replicate simulated combat scenarios.

The defensive use of cluster ships can greatly increase ship protection; If the enemy attempts to overwhelm the ship's defense with a group of high-speed small boats or a series of incoming weapons.