US Going All In On Sea Drones To Deter Taiwan War
2025-08-01 12:02:09
(MENAFN- Asia Times) The US is betting on swarming unmanned surface vessels (USVs) to harass China and delay a Taiwan or South China Sea conflict, wagering that drones and allied self‐defense can deter Beijing without triggering a war.
By all accounts, the US Navy is moving fast in that direction. Breaking Defense reported in July 2025 that the service has issued a formal call for industry proposals to rapidly prototype modular USVs, following an industry day earlier this summer.
Led by the US Navy's unmanned maritime systems office, the solicitation seeks designs that can carry containerized payloads, integrate with existing naval assets and be fielded within 18 months of contract award.
It identifies three vessel concepts, prioritizing one capable of carrying two 40‐foot containers-each weighing 36.3 metric tons and drawing 75 kilowatts-over 2,500 nautical miles at 25 knots in NATO Sea State 4.
https://menafn.com/1109871450/US-Going-All-In-On-Sea-Drones-To-Deter-Taiwan-War
