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After lessons learned within GPS-denied spaces, the Navy's task group on unmanned operations -- formed last January out of Central Command's Task Force 59 -- plans to launch an unmanned surface vessel with GPS-denied capability.
These GPS disruptions occurred primarily in the Gulf of Aqaba, something the task group initially saw as a challenge, task group Commander Lt. Luis Echeverria said Wednesday at the Surface Navy Association’s conference.
“Initially we saw that as a challenge, but now we see that as a win and we capitalize on that,” Echeverria said. “We ran a series of tests with GPS-denied capability, and later on this spring we will be launching for the first time a USV with GPS-denied capability out of the Gulf of Aqaba and into the northern Red Sea.”
Last fall, the Navy issued a call for potential Assured-Positioning, Navigation and Timing technologies to be integrated on unmanned surface vessels -- technology that can step in for GPS during an operation if jamming or other disruptions are present.
These technologies will be on display during a Stiletto Maritime Demonstration Program Capability Discovery Event set to take place off the shores of Virginia in March, according to the government notice.
“Interference is becoming increasingly threatening as jamming, spoofing, cyber and direct attacks continue to evolve,” the notice stated.
Task Force 59’s efforts follow other Navy moves to advance unmanned technology research and experimentation, like the establishment of USVRON One in 2022 and USVRON Three in 2024. While the initial unit focuses more on medium and large USV experimentation, USVRON Three oversees small uncrewed vessels known as Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft.