BAE Systems has successfully tested a ‘first of its kind’ autonomous boat that it says will give navies the ability to “go beyond the limits of human endurance with unmanned vessels that can travel further, for longer and to more inhospitable environments.”

Known as the autonomous Pacific 950 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) demonstrator, the boat has been used to develop and prove a variety of technologies that could potentially make naval missions faster, easier and safer, which, according to BAE Systems, would take the relationship between human and machine to “new territories.”

The P950 was developed in collaboration with industry experts from L3Harris and MSI Defence Systems. Equipped with automated navigational decision-making technologies, the vessel frees up operators to focus on mission critical information from a distance.

BAE Systems notes that the technology has been designed to be retrofitted to existing RIBs—such as its Pacific 24—to enhance the capabilities of existing worships.

“This technology represents a huge step forward in the interaction between human and machine, combining sophisticated autonomous technology with human capabilities to overcome many of the challenges faced in difficult conditions at sea,” explains Mike Woods, chief technologist for BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business.

“The boat keeps sailors out of harm’s way whilst allowing them to respond to the increasingly varied, often unpredictable scenarios they face every day, and aids faster decision making in complex and ambiguous situations.”

Capable of operating for up to 10 days at ‘patrol speed’ or 300 nautical miles in pursuit mode, the P950 can reach speeds of up to 45 knots while being controlled either by remote, or while on a semi-autonomous mission. BAE Systems says that the trials it has conducted have showcased how the technology provides a unique ability to conduct “complex, multi-phase missions and support advanced dynamic tasking,” while providing “enhanced situational awareness to support faster and more effective decision-making by naval operators.”

The vessel has several potential use cases, including but not limited to, anti-piracy operations, border control, and persistent intelligence gathering. 

Over the upcoming months, BAE Systems will continue working to prove the technology can be integrated with existing naval ship combat management systems. The vessel will also undergo more trials.