US and UK Join Forces to Combat Underwater Drone Threats
Summary
The US and UK are collaborating on a project called the Robotic Exclusion and Engagement Framework (REEF) to develop a comprehensive system to detect and destroy underwater drones that pose a threat to ports, harbors, and other critical infrastructure. The project aims to protect US critical waterways from various types of undersea robots, including unmanned underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, and semisubmersibles. The solicitation seeks a suite of commercial systems that can utilize off-the-shelf sensors, edge processing, active and passive sensors, sensor fusion, decoys, and other technologies to create a stand-alone solution. The system should be able to detect and discriminate between hostile drones and non-threats using artificial intelligence, and employ kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to stop drones. The project's goal is to provide sufficient detection-to-response time for human in-the-loop decision-making.
Key Takeaways
- 1. The US and UK are collaborating on a project to develop a comprehensive system to detect and destroy underwater drones that pose a threat to critical infrastructure.
- 2. The Robotic Exclusion and Engagement Framework (REEF) project aims to protect US critical waterways from various types of undersea robots using off-the-shelf sensors, edge processing, and other technologies.
- 3. The system should utilize artificial intelligence to discriminate between hostile drones and non-threats, and employ kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to stop drones.
- 4. Non-kinetic methods, such as rapidly deployable nets and bubble curtains, are preferred over kinetic defenses, which can include kinetic payloads and acoustic directed energy.
- 5. The project's goal is to provide sufficient detection-to-response time for human in-the-loop decision-making, allowing for safe interdiction or neutralization of underwater threats.