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Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) 12
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The following videos were captured during a recent United States Fleet Forces Command FLEX 12 Experiment. The two fully autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) shown are PowerVent (PV) and Combatant Maritime Vessel (CMV). Both USVs are capable of fully autonomous (no man in the loop) to remote control (man in the loop) operations. Both USVs were outfitted with a hailer (long-range sound system), a laser dazzler, and a non-lethal projectile launcher. The hailer and dazzler are positioned on the starboard side of the vessel and the projectile launcher is positioned on the bow. During this experiment the two USVs were assigned to guard separate but adjoining areas. The USVs are also capable of cooperative operations, sharing their Common Operational Pictures with each other and deciding autonomously between them which one is closer to an intruder for engagement. When an intruder enters the “restricted” area, the closest USV proceeds to engage the intruder with its hailer announcing the intruder has entered a restricted area and should depart the area immediately. As the intruder continues into the restricted area the laser dazzler is fired at the intruder to deter its crew from advancing. Following the laser dazzler engagement and as the intruder continues into the restricted area, the USV turns to position itself for a “Flash Bang” non-lethal projectile engagement. All three non-lethal weapons are being employed remotely from a Command Center. Both USVs, while having safety observers onboard, were fully autonomous and proceeded to make their engagements and intercepts in fully autonomous mode with no man in the loop for vessel control. A further capability of “sliding autonomy” (the ability to go from autonomous to remote control and back) was further tested, and demonstrated the capability of the USVs to be handed off to a remote operator for such tasks as “sweetening” up the shot, manually engaging a second target or clearing the USV from the firing area. MOVIE #1 |
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