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Operational autonomy requirements for unmanned surface vessels

Division A · Title II: RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION · Subtitle B: Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations

Plain-language summaryAI

The Navy must ensure that unmanned surface vessels can operate autonomously even when communication or navigation systems are limited or unavailable. After making these changes, the Navy must brief Congress on how these vessels can perform missions without constant human control, follow set rules and safety measures, and adjust or end missions as needed under challenging conditions. This applies to both current and future unmanned surface vessels used by the Navy and Marine Corps.

AI-generated from this section’s text — a quick orientation, not a substitute for the full text below. Not legal advice.

Section Text · Sec. 222.
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(a) In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall take such actions as may be necessary, including modification of research and development and acquisition procedures as appropriate, to ensure that unmanned surface vessels are capable of autonomous operation—

(1)

during periods in which communications capabilities are denied, degraded, intermittent, or limited; and

(2)

during periods in which positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities are degraded or unavailable.

(b) Briefing

Following implementation of the actions required under subsection (a), but not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on such actions. The briefing shall include an explanation of each of the following:

(1)

The ability of unmanned surface vessels to execute preauthorized mission tasks without continuous human control.

(2)

The ability of such vessels to adhere to defined autonomy behaviors, decision logic, and safety constraints governing mission execution.

(3)

The ability of such vessels to adapt, recover, retask, or terminate missions in accordance with preestablished operational parameters when communications or positioning, navigation, and timing are degraded or unavailable.

(c) Unmanned surface vessels

In this section, the term unmanned surface vessels includes—

(1)

unmanned surface vessels in use by the Navy or Marine Corps; and

(2)

unmanned surface vessels planned for development or procurement for the Navy or Marine Corps.