Lawmakers want the Army to examine the use of unmanned surface vessels to escort its watercraft against threats the ground branch may face during contested logistics, according to new legislation.
The House Armed Services Committee forwarded the recommendation last Tuesday to the Army to meet concerns regarding the threats faced by watercraft from “organic defensive capabilities, increasing vulnerability to asymmetric threats, unmanned systems, and enemy fires,” according to the House Armed Services Committee’s chairman’s mark of the Fiscal Year 2027 legislation.
“The committee believes that manned Army watercraft may be aided by dedicated unmanned surface vessels (USV) providing enhanced force protection, early warning, sensing and defensive effects while reducing risk to personnel,” reads the draft bill.
The Army’s watercraft fleet has been highlighted in recent years amid concerns of a poor logistical footprint under contested conditions as Washington orients regional forces to counter China. Originally procured by the ground service to serve as ship-to-shore connectors for larger transport and supply vessels, the Army’s logistical support vessels and other landing craft have been eyed as a crucial capability in any conflict spanning the Indo-Pacific.
Traditionally, American forces relied on a series of bases, ports and access agreements to sustain forces in the first island chain. However, these methods may not be sufficient to sustain a force in a conflict with China. Moreover, watercraft could be critical for maneuvering formations equipped with ship-killing missiles, air defenses and other area denial capabilities to counter Chinese forces.
In the recent Balikatan drills in the Philippines, American forces used Army watercraft to deploy long-range missile systems onto islands near first island chain chokepoints. The 8th Theater Sustainment Command examined the use of their watercraft for these purposes in previous iterations.
Troops also deployed a USV to detect targets during a simulated anti-invasion drill in the Northern Philippines. These sea drones were key in the service’s “Littoral Deep Battle” concept, which envisions the use of concentrated attacks and unmanned systems to destroy a landing attempt.
Lawmakers requested that the Army deliver a briefing on their consideration for escort USVs before Feb. 1, 2027.
The draft bill also expressed concerns about the service’s watercraft strategy, stating that “the Army may not provide resourcing consistent with a realistic strategy to support the watercraft needed for operations in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.” Lawmakers requested a separate briefing from the Army regarding its watercraft recapitalization strategy.
Last week also saw a separate solicitation from the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit for autonomous resupply vessels for the Army operations in the Indo-Pacific. The call is looking for solutions that could provide USVs capable of transporting containers up to sea state six to locations 1,600 nautical miles away and back.