The U.S. Navy said it has established the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center (RASWDC) to forward the development, operational integration and employment of robotic and autonomous systems across the maritime domain.
In a joint announcement from the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations, officials said the center would be headquartered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, and would operate under the U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The command will serve as the Navy’s operational integration point for robotic and autonomous capabilities.
“To maintain our decisive maritime advantage, we must rapidly integrate robotic and autonomous systems into how we operate, train, and deploy,” said the Chief of Naval Operations. “The establishment of RASWDC ensures our Sailors are equipped with the tactical edge, advanced training, and specialized doctrine required to win the high-end fight.”
The establishment of the center goes hand-in-hand, officials said, with the announcement of the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems which provides accountable portfolio authority for robotic and autonomous system acquisition, requirements implementation, budgeting, technical standards, and fielding. The RASWDC, in contrast, focuses on operational employment.
Together, the two organizations will create a feedback loop between the acquisition enterprise and operational forces. Using lessons from testing, experimentation and training, the RASWDC will use empirical performance data to help developers and program managers improve future capabilities.
“RASWDC is the critical bridge between capability development and operational employment,” the CNO added. “By forging a direct feedback loop, we are accelerating the delivery of unmanned capabilities from the foundry directly to the Fleet, ensuring our forces are postured to meet any challenge.”