2024-05-14 02:03:13
This month, the US Navy unveiled the Vanguard, the first unmanned surface ship developed under the Pentagon’s Ghost Fleet Overlord program. At the same time, at the Defense Services Asia 2024 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, China’s Polytechnologies unveiled its own USV, the A2000 “Thunderer”.
The A2000, the brainchild of the State Shipbuilding Corporation of China, is designed to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks, as well as operations aimed at preventing access and area denial. Equipped for offensive roles, the Thunderer has an arsenal that includes interceptor missiles and a 30 mm gun, operable from shore stations and in coastal waters.
New paradigms in unmanned navigation
Measuring 45 meters long and displacing 280 tonnes, the Thunderer USV is powered by two diesel engines with controllable pitch propellers. Its trimaran hull design could minimize its radar profile, achieving speeds of up to 35 knots.
Equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, the ship facilitates advanced surveillance and espionage, integrating an eight-cell vertical launch system for surface-to-air missiles and 24-cell rocket launchers on both sides.
Despite its impressive combat capabilities, the A2000 does not excel in anti-surface or anti-submarine warfare, as it lacks anti-ship missile launchers, reports Janes. However, it can act as a parent company, using small offensive drones for swarm attacks, air defense, or expanding operational range through satellite links.
This USV also has platforms to launch vertical takeoff and landing aerial systems, allowing the Thunderer to closely follow detected contacts. According to Naval News, these platforms are suitable for deploying loitering munitions, also known as “kamikaze drones”, which adds to their offensive capabilities.
“Her ability to operate independently or as part of a coordinated fleet greatly enhances China’s ability to address contemporary maritime challenges,” Naval News said.
Emerging challenges and threats in modern naval warfare
New images of China’s Fujian Type 003 aircraft carrier.
The USV A2000 Thunderer is emerging as a potentially significant threat to the US Navy, comparable in seriousness to the People’s Liberation Army’s Fujian Type 003 aircraft carrier, currently undergoing sea trials. These developments suggest that USVs could change the balance of naval power by acting as force multipliers, an area where the US Navy appears to be one step behind its rivals.
Despite efforts to expand its fleet of USVs and underwater drones, the US Navy faces ongoing obstacles as the Pentagon continues to prioritize major shipbuilding projects, officials and business leaders reported to Reuters this month.
This delay occurs in a context where the usefulness of maritime drones has been demonstrated in recent conflicts, for example in the Black Sea. In this case, Ukraine, without a conventional navy, has resorted to remote-controlled submarines and maritime drones loaded with explosives to neutralize Russian frigates and minesweepers, demonstrating the deadly effectiveness of these technologies.
China’s progress in the development and deployment of USVs could represent a paradigmatic shift towards the future of naval warfare, highlighting the urgent need for the US Navy to adapt its strategies and capabilities in response to these new technological challenges .
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