The U.S. Navy has deployed the Leidos-built Seahawk, a medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV), with the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group for the first time. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao highlighted the deployment, which marks a shift from testing autonomous systems to using them in active naval operations.
The 137-foot Seahawk is operating as an integrated part of the strike group. It uses autonomous navigation, collision avoidance and surveillance capabilities.
The Navy aims to test the vessel’s endurance and reliability in an operational environment alongside crewed warships. The deployment signals growing Navy confidence in unmanned systems as a force multiplier for complex maritime missions.