They are the future of warfare, with numerous civilian applications as well. Ukraine, out of necessity, is leading the world in drone development. Yes, they have been working closely with allies, namely Australia, Germany, and France in particular, in joint development projects. Ukraine has also "borrowed" technology from the Russians, especially from the Iran-Russia joint Shahed drone project. I have been watching and waiting for the US massive, powerful defense industry to get in the game. Well, not only has the US been in the game...we are actually winning it!

The US Navy has been leading the charge, although both the Army and Air Force are also developing said technology for their use. If you haven't heard, then allow me to introduce the US Navy's "Ghost Fleet." Composed of unmanned drones and in some cases lightly manned crafts, the US Navy has been developing, testing, and now actually building an array of drones. The best example is the new Manta Ray drone. This craft is designed to be fully automated, using AI to operate independently and is designed to destroy enemy subs. It can also attack and sink surface vessels. Future versions will carry anti-aircraft and surface to surface missiles for attacks on ground targets too. For now, the push is to even the odds vs. China's large navy fleet, especially the subs China is launching.

The Manta Ray drone has stealth technology to avoid detection, and its shape resembles that of the Manta Ray, thus it's nickname. The AI is designed to be totally autonomous, such that it can be deployed from its mother ship and left to operate on its own. It has technology to use sea water to recharge its batteries and can stay operational, on its own, for many decades. Now, what failsafe system does it have to avoid a friendly fire incident? Well, according to the reports, the AI is so advanced that it has the capacity to clearly identify friend from foe, including our allies' subs and ships. All nations' vessels have distinctive signatures re: radar/sonar signatures, noises they make, and the electronics used. The Manta Ray's AI will use a series of tests as it approaches any vessel, a checklist, and only after 100% verification will the drone launch an attack, which will include torpedoes and missiles. In the rare cases where the Manta Ray cannot reach 100% verification it is designed to surface and send via-satellite a request for assistance from US Navy human operators. Using satellites and/or aerial drones or human-manned aircraft, the Navy can identify the vessel in question and send a signal to the Manta Ray if it is friend or foe.

It's good to know the USA has not been sitting on the sidelines as the rest of world speeds toward future warfare with drone technology.