A recent training program at the Hellenic Naval Academy included tests of unmanned vessels. ‘ASVs and AUVs are generally fully automated now, while the integration of artificial intelligence has given them a truly impressive amount of autonomy,’ says MIT professor Michael Triantafyllou. [Nikos Chalkiopoulos/Intime News]
Unmanned surface and underwater vehicles (ASVs and AUVs) have both military and commercial applications and could benefit the Greek economy by providing low-cost solutions, Michael Triantafyllou, a professor of ocean science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and director of the American university’s Sea Grant, program tells Kathimerini. The program combines ocean science with advanced technology.
Triantafyllou recently visited the Hellenic Naval Academy to help familiarize cadets with new technologies. He says recent wars have demonstrated that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can replace aircraft and autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) can also replace ships.
You led classes at the Hellenic Naval Academy. How satisfied were you with the students’ level of knowledge and ability?
The participants who attended the classes from private companies, as well as the cadets from the Navy, Air Force and Army, were exceptionally capable. We had set certain requirements regarding their level of knowledge, of course, but overall I was very satisfied. This was only the first step, however. We hope to establish an exchange program in engineering in the future, with students and cadets coming to MIT, and MIT students and professors visiting Greece. There is interest and, above all, the necessary talent to make it happen.
Unmanned maritime technology, whether on the surface (ASVs or USVs) or underwater (AUVs or UUVs), has developed in leaps and bounds in recent years.
We now have surface and underwater technologies with what is known as dual-use capabilities, serving both civilian and defense purposes. One example is rescuing people at sea in all kinds of weather conditions. An ASV can carry out search-and-rescue operations in virtually any conditions. The recent rescue by an ASV developed by Saronic of the crew of a US helicopter that crashed in the Strait of Hormuz, without involving any personnel or putting human lives at risk, is a case in point. ASVs and AUVs are generally fully automated now, while the integration of artificial intelligence has given them a truly impressive amount of autonomy. For example, a so-called glider can travel from here in Boston to Bermuda, a distance of nearly 1,000 nautical miles, using minimal energy and changes in buoyancy for propulsion. Weather forecasting is another important application. Automated buoys monitor weather conditions and can help make local forecasts even more accurate.
AUVs also incorporate glider technology, which essentially uses small changes in buoyancy to minimize energy consumption and extend their operational endurance from hours to days or even weeks. AUVs can also inspect the hulls of commercial ships while they are in port. They actually have numerous applications in shipping, generally speaking. And I would argue that Greece could take advantage of this technology to become a hub for building commercial unmanned vessels. E-foils costing €5,000-10,000 are produced in the United States, Australia and many other countries, for example, and are used by people to cover long distances at sea. So why not in the Aegean?
And what about military applications like deploying swarms of AUVs or UUVs to overwhelm an adversary’s defenses?
Indeed, swarming, as it is known, is currently a major focus of research. Many countries have invested enormous sums in this technology. Using AI, large numbers of unmanned vehicles can coordinate their actions to maximize the chances of successfully completing a mission, whatever that mission may be. And not just for military purposes.
How significant are these developments from a military standpoint?
So much has already been written and said on the subject. Since 2022 and the start of the war in Ukraine, and more specifically the sinking of the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, we have seen that relatively inexpensive weapons can inflict billions of dollars in damage. The developments are rapid. At this stage, unmanned underwater vehicles appear to pose an even greater threat, as they can lie dormant on the seabed for months with virtually no chance of being detected. Under certain conditions, these underwater vehicles can be completely undetectable. The mere knowledge that they exist can be enough to serve as a deterrent.
How far has MIT advanced its research in this rapidly evolving field?
We are one part of MIT, but we also run the MIT Sea Grant program. Congress has established 34 ocean research programs across the United States, and we run one of them. As part of this work, we have developed underwater and surface vehicles, which we test at the mouth of the Charles River here in Boston. Once the ice melts, we conduct intensive testing from March through November. And, of course, we also teach related courses at MIT. The autonomy of these systems is a major focus of our work. In one course, we design the vehicles, then develop the software and finally test them in the water. We delivered a condensed version of these courses in Greece, at the Hellenic Naval Academy. I should also point out that the academy’s location, with a small bay directly in front of it, would allow us to establish testing facilities there.
What are some of the main challenges for these platforms?
For surface vessels, the main challenge is dealing with waves under particularly difficult conditions. They have to be designed to withstand severe weather. Greece has an island environment, which is very different from that of the Pacific Ocean. For underwater vehicles, the main issue is battery life, or operational endurance. Autonomous underwater vehicles face particular challenges because, of course, GPS is not available to guide them. They have to operate with a limited range of tools, primarily acoustic systems. So there is still considerable room for improvement before we can say they can operate without restrictions. Software is also a critical factor in determining the quality of such a platform.
Broadly speaking, how prepared are military leaders for developments that could fundamentally change the composition of naval fleets?
Look, recent wars have demonstrated that UAVs can replace conventional aircraft, while offering far greater capabilities. Now the same has been demonstrated with maritime drones.
