U.S. Navy Plans Hybrid Fleet with 350 Crewed and 150 Uncrewed Vessels by 2045
The U.S. Navy is set to develop a hybrid fleet of 500 vessels by 2045, comprising 350 crewed and 150 uncrewed ships, as part of its Force Design 2045 initiative. A $3.6 billion investment from the Department of Defense will support the integration of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) for missions like intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. However, congressional concerns about USV funding underscore the need for a clear operational framework, which the Navy is addressing through various initiatives, with potential deployments in carrier strike groups starting as early as 2026.
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The U.S. Navy aims to expand to a hybrid fleet of 500 ships, consisting of 350 crewed and 150 uncrewed vessels, as outlined by Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday. This strategy is supported by the Chief of Naval Operations Force Design 2045 and the Navigation Plan for America's Warfighting Navy, which emphasize the integration of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).
A $3.6 billion commitment from the DoD will finance medium and small USVs. Recent congressional reluctance regarding USV investments highlights the need for a clear concept of operations (CONOPS) for their use, which the Navy is working to establish through various initiatives, including an Uncrewed Task Force and extensive exercises.
The Navy plans to utilize large USVs to transport smaller uncrewed systems for missions such as intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and mine countermeasures (MCM). Deployments of these vessels in carrier strike groups may begin as early as 2026.
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