The US Navy is preparing to bring its first medium unmanned surface vessels into active fleet service, with the Seahawk and Sea Hunter transitioning from experimental platforms to operational assets. Announced by the commodore of Surface Development Group One, the move includes the establishment of three new unmanned surface vessel divisions, signaling a major step toward integrating autonomous ships into routine naval operations. Measuring nearly 135 feet in length, the vessels will initially focus on surveillance, anti-submarine warfare support, and reconnaissance, feeding real-time data to manned ships. Seahawk is expected to deploy alongside a carrier strike group, reflecting growing confidence in unmanned systems. The Navy has also expanded its unmanned workforce, created a dedicated warfare officer career path, and is pursuing larger USVs capable of carrying containerized payloads for future kinetic missions.
