DARPA launches Defiant, a 180-foot fully autonomous warship for extended missions

TL;DR: With massive investments in drone technologies, the future of air warfare looks increasingly robotic. Naval warfare is heading in a similar direction, exemplified by DARPA's new prototype vessel, the USX-1 Defiant. Last month, this 180-foot, 240-metric-ton ship made its debut in preparation for extensive testing when defense contractor Serco launched it from a Washington shipyard. It's unique in that you won't find any sailors aboard – the Defiant was designed to be a "no manning required" ship. From the very start, human habitation was completely off the table, meaning there are no crew quarters and no galleys aboard. That has given this vessel unusual advantages: since it omits anything meant for human use or safety, it is highly hydrodynamic, stealthy, and reliable. The unmanned surface vessel (USV) was built as part of the US Navy's No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) project, launched by DARPA in 2020. DARPA says the aim is to challenge traditional naval architecture by des ... Read full article.