Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have been used in military operations
for more than 60 years, with torpedoes, cruise missiles,
satellites, and target drones being early examples.1 They have
also been widely used in the civilian sector--for example, in
the disposal of explosives, for work and measurement in
radioactive environments, by various offshore industries for
both creating and maintaining undersea facilities, for
atmospheric and undersea research, and by industry in automated
and robotic manufacturing. Recent military experiences with AVs
have consistently demonstrated their value in a wide range of
missions, and anticipated developments of AVs hold promise for
increasingly significant roles in future naval operations.
Advances in AV capabilities are enabled (and limited) by
progress in the technologies of computing and robotics,
navigation, communications and networking, power sources and
propulsion, and materials. Autonomous Vehicles in Support of
Naval Operations is a forward-looking discussion of the nav