01SOFREP2026-10-23
The Army Wants 100 Drone Boats for the Pacific After One Autonomous Ship Test (opens in a new tab)
The U.S. Army plans to develop a fleet of up to 100 autonomous drone boats for the Pacific, following a successful August 2026 test of an uncrewed commercial ship in Hawaii. The test involved an 18-hour autonomous voyage with a full crew onboard, demonstrating navigation and vehicle loading/unloading capabilities. The Army aims to retrofit existing vessels with autonomy kits while also building purpose-built uncrewed boats, though regulatory and logistical challenges remain. The initiative is part of a broader effort to expand watercraft capacity after years of fleet reductions.