Waiting for Disruption?! Undersea Autonomy and the Challenging Nature of Naval Innovation

• Main Authors: Borchert, Heiko, Kraemer, Tim, Mahon, Daniel
• Other Authors: S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
• Format: Working Paper
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: International Politics and Security; Maritime Security
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/83745; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/42813
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This paper looks at the mechanics of military innovation to sound a cautionary note on the current and future use of undersea autonomy. It starts from the premise that undersea autonomy is not yet as inevitable and disruptive as many believe. In particular, this is because of the current threat environment, the limited scope of current missions for unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs), and the prevailing technology push. For undersea autonomy to lead to disruptive and discontinuous changes in undersea warfare, navies will need to understand how to translate technological advancements into operational advantages. This will require navies, industry and science partners to develop a better understanding of the interplay between operational needs, cultural predispositions, organisational and resource needs, and technological options.