COLUMN | Droning on: hype over unmanned boats gets a reality check from high-speed hull design principles [Aft Lines]

The design compromises required for four knots would render the higher speed objective, on the same platform, as a serious compromise. It would be like buying a tractor and then wondering why it struggles when it is being driven around a race track.

Just because it is “possible”, does it mean it’s worthwhile? Dual design objectives are compromised vessels from the outset, even on conventional size vessels, so why make it more difficult on a smaller vessel? This leads to the how much real naval architecture has been done versus the needs for publicity, clicks, likes and show, merely to get the “wow factor”. Is the baby being thrown out with the bath water?

Then we have USVs that are a bit larger, in the 10- to 15-metre range with heavy ordnance on-board. Whether it be missiles or cannon, all seem to use electro-optical/infrared or forward-looking infrared systems for target acquisition.

On vessels quoted at again, at high speeds of 45 knots, given the vertical displacement of the bow/hull in anything other than a “slight” sea state, it begs the question how the system copes with searching the sky then suddenly searching the seascape, and then the sky and the sea again constantly, in vertical accelerations of 12g or more. Riding on any high-speed monohull, whether stepped or otherwise in a developed sea, will be extremely uncomfortable, especially with steps designed to maintain a low running trim with the bow slamming into waves constantly.