The Navy demonstrated a new autonomous refueling capability for unmanned surface vessels in waters off Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia, completing the journey from concept to sea testing in seven months.
The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division led the demonstration, which used a robotic towed connector to repeatedly capture, refuel and release an unmanned surface vessel. The training support vessel USNS Vindicator towed the refueling system and transferred a total of 400 gallons of fuel to the T38, a Navy-owned remotely controlled vessel, during the event. The refueling system completed about 100 connection cycles over the course of a few days.
The capability addresses a persistent challenge: every time an unmanned vessel returns to port for fuel, operations are interrupted and sensor coverage is reduced. "Keeping USVs and their sensors on station longer during critical capabilities testing without increasing reliance on crewed support" was the focus, according to Spencer Holloway, director of the program's future capabilities office at the warfare center.
Ronald Raymer, a branch head at U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said the technology could strengthen naval operations. "This will allow us to have greater reliance on unmanned vessels and we can push the USV into higher threat areas without risking manned vessels and personnel," he said. The refueling system also reduces the need for expensive manned vessels to support distributed operations.
The Navy's next milestone is an end-to-end autonomous refueling demonstration that will test vessel rendezvous, approach, capture, fuel transfer, disconnection and return to mission as a single automated sequence.