For the First Time, a Navy Drone Ship Launched a Missile at Sea
Descendants of the prototype ship Ranger will vastly boost the fleet's overall firepower. That could prevent a war.
By Kyle Mizokami
Sep 13, 2021
For the first time, a U.S. Navy uncrewed surface ship has launched a missile.
The missile, SM-6, is capable of engaging almost anything at sea.
Uncrewed ships will increase the Navy's firepower at sea cheaply and efficiently, while creating room for new tactics.
In new footage from the U.S. Department of Defense, Ranger, an uncrewed Navy drone ship, launched an SM-6 missile (one of the service's most advanced guided weapons) while steaming at sea.
The video, posted September 3 on Twitter, isn't just for fun, though—it marks an important first for the service; uncrewed ships like Ranger promise to boost the number of missiles that a Navy fleet can carry at sea, all while keeping shipbuilding costs down.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a37502910/navy-drone-ship-launched-a-missile-at-sea/
