Electronic Weapons: The Swarm Goes To War

May 2, 2016: Since the 1980s the U.S. Department of Defense has been spending more time and effort on developing technology to make it possible for autonomous robots to communicate and cooperate in maintaining the most efficient “swarm” of robotic sensors or weapons. Progress has been slow but successful. Now the navy is testing swarms of small submarine detecting surface and underwater vehicles. The air force has already developed swarming systems for UAVs as well as some types of aerial decoys. The army is doing the same with small robotic vehicles used for surveillance and security. After more than half a century of theoretical and practical work the swarms are about to enter service.

Britain’s Trident Nuclear Program at Risk From Unmanned Sub Drones

The UK Trident nuclear deterrent program – at the center of a row over its replacement – is at risk from a new generation of cheap underwater drones which could render the whole basis of submarine deployment useless, according to a new report.

The UK parliament is due to make a decision on replacing its ageing fleet of Vanguard class submarines, which carry the Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles to be used as a weapon of last resort as part of Britain’s nuclear deterrent program.