U.S. Navy Achieves Autonomous Drone Boat Refueling at Sea, Extending Endurance Capabilities
The U.S. Navy has successfully demonstrated autonomous refueling of an unmanned surface vessel (USV) at sea, a significant advancement in drone boat warfare. The demonstration, conducted off the coast of Virginia, involved a 38-foot uncrewed boat, the T38, connecting to and receiving 400 gallons of fuel from a towable capture and connection device (TCCD) towed by the USNS Vindicator. This process involved approximately 100 connection cycles. The technology, developed by Israeli company Sealartec, allows for underway refueling without human intervention on the drone boat. While the T38 was remotely controlled during this test, the goal is fully autonomous operation. This achievement addresses a critical limitation of drone boats, which previously had to return to port for refueling, significantly reducing their operational endurance. The project moved from concept to working hardware in just seven months, highlighting rapid development.