The United States tested the concept of the "ghost fleet" with the launch of the SM-6 rocket. In the future, the Navy wants to get a whole fleet of robotic ships.
The US Department of Defense has published a video showing how the Ranger autonomous surface ship uses the SM-6 container missile launcher, consisting of four blocks.
Ranger is an experimental ship, part of the Ghost Fleet Overlord program. In addition to him, the "ghost fleet" includes Nomad. Both models were built on the basis of commercial high-speed supply vessels. Previously, the ships were tested by long autonomous trips.
See the game-changing, cross-domain, cross-service concepts the Strategic Capabilities Office and @USNavy are rapidly developing: an SM-6 launched from a modular launcher off of USV Ranger. Such innovation drives the future of joint capabilities. #DoDInnovates pic.twitter.com/yCG57lFcNW- Department of Defense ?? (@DeptofDefense) September 3, 2021
The Ghost Fleet Overlord program itself was launched in 2017. Its goal is to create unmanned surface vessels that can patrol a given perimeter for a long period of time, interacting with other ships. In the future, they want to use the "ghost fleet" in the Pacific region as a deterrent against the growing power of the Chinese Naval Forces.
Recent tests
Image source: thedrive
The SM-6 rocket involved in the tests has extensive capabilities. It can be used to destroy air targets, such as airplanes, helicopters and cruise missiles, as well as ballistic missiles in the final phase of flight.
SM-6
Image source: thedrive
In addition, the SM-6 can hit targets on land and at sea. So, in January 2016, the missile was successfully used to destroy the decommissioned frigate USS Reuben James.
The product can be equipped with a kinetic or fragmentation warhead. Flight speed SM-6-M=3.5. The maximum launch range exceeds 370 kilometers.
The recent tests are only part of the efforts of the Americans to create unmanned ships. In the spring, it became known that the company Leidos supplied the US Navy with an autonomous Seahawk-the" sister ship " of the famous Sea Hunter. This is a relatively small ship with a displacement of 145 tons. Its body was made of composite materials.
Seahawk
Image source: Leidos
Sea Hunter tests began in 2016. According to the idea, in the future, such ships will be able to effectively identify enemy submarines.
In addition to the Americans, the PRC is actively working in this direction. Two years ago, it became known about the beginning of testing of the JARI-USV unmanned boat. It has a length of 15 meters and a displacement of 20 tons.
The boat has received a modular scheme, thanks to which it can (at least in theory) solve a wide range of tasks. The JARI-USV is capable of carrying, in particular, a vertical launch rocket launcher and a remotely controlled combat module with a 30 mm automatic cannon.