Having previously gotten into the long range strike, air force, anti-ship, and anti-submarine businesses, the Marines are now getting into the business of unmanned naval vessels. They have ordered Metal Shark ‘40 Defiant’ Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessels.
Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark announced on Monday that Marine Corps Systems Command had selected the company to develop the so-called Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel (LRUSV) for the service. (3)
What do we know about this craft? The manufacturer describes these 40 ft long vessels:
The 40 Defiant satisfies the visual-deterrent requirements of today’s naval forces with a futuristic design featuring a chiseled and menacing profile and unique faceted hull. Unlike other available welded-aluminum military patrol boat offerings, which are often hard to distinguish from a commercial work boat or even a private recreational vessel, the 40 Defiant is immediately identifiable as a no-nonsense military machine ready to respond with overwhelming force to any hostile threat. The 40 Defiant flaunts its capability and bristles with armament. As configured for the US Navy, the vessel features six MK 16 weapons foundations plus a large forward foundation for stabilized, remote operated, optically guided MK 49 / MK 50 weapons systems. Like all Metal Shark offerings, the 40 Defiant may be customized to suit operator requirements and may be configured to accommodate the complete range of available weapons systems. (2)
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| Metal Shark Manned Version |
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| Metal Shark Unmanned Version |
So, the craft is ‘chiseled’ and ‘menacing’. Well that should sink some Chinese ships because, as we all know, appearance is the most important characteristic in determining lethality and successful naval engagements.
‘Visual-deterrent requirements’????? Who made that one up?
The craft has ‘overwhelming force’ … consisting of up to 6 machine guns. I’m not sure that constitutes ‘overwhelming’ unless you’re fighting an unprepared Boy Scout troop.
What will the Marines do with these vessels? I’ve been unable to find any description of how the Marines intend to use these boats but we have this from the Naval News website:
This tiered, scalable weapons system will provide the ability to accurately track and destroy targets at range throughout the battle space. (1)
Presumably, the Marines will use these boats in their anti-Chinese, hidden, small unit, anti-ship/anti-sub concept. That being the case, what will a boat with a maximum of 6 machine guns destroy ‘throughout the battle space’? If all it takes is a 40 ft boat with 6 machine guns to ‘destroy targets at range throughout the battle space’ then we’re wasting a lot of money on Burkes, Fords, and frigates!
There is also this from the Task and Purpose website announcement,
The LRUSV is “an unmanned platform capable of traveling autonomously for long distances and launching loitering munitions to address sea and land targets,” according to a December request for information regarding the vessel’s autonomy systems.
Loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, are best described as bombs that are designed to loiter above a set area, search for targets, and attack once a target is formally identified. (3)
So, the Marines may be looking to conduct naval battles using some kind of minature, kamikaze UAVs? It would take, what … ten thousand of them to sink a ship? This is getting more bizarre by the second.
From the manufacturer,
The 40 Defiant has been designed to carry a power projection capability far beyond that of a traditional force protection boat. The vessel therefore boasts a superlative array of capabilities. Available ballistic protection enables the vessel to sustain extended firefights, allowing crews to respond with overwhelming force to asymmetric threats such as swarm attacks while remaining secure and protected from hostile fire. The armored, climate-controlled pilothouse may be configured with a wide range of shock-mitigating seating options. The vessel delivers enhanced situational awareness and fleet connectivity through an advanced communications and sensor suite. These capabilities allow operators to expand the mission profile of their patrol boats, allowing them to operate in permissive environments during asset protection and port security missions, and also to make forays into hostile environments. (2)
Well, we don’t have much on the performance specs of the vessel but I’ll give the manufacturer full marks for creative writing. The boat description reads like the Star Wars Death Star brochure.
I have no idea what operating concept the Marines have in mind but whatever it is they’re way out of their lane. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time until they start operating submarines (subMARINES … see, it’s right there in the name!) and intercontinental stealth bombers.
The Marine Corps has gone insane.
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(1)Naval News website, “Metal Shark Developing Long Range USV for the U.S. Marine Corps”, Xavier Vavasseur, 26-Jan-2021,
(2)https://www.metalsharkboats.com/40defiant/
(3)Task and Purpose website, “The Marine Corps is eyeing a long-range robot boat that can nail targets with kamikaze drones”, Jared Keller, 27-Jan-2021,
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-long-range-unmanned-surface-vessel-contract/
Looking at the pictures of the drone ship, I don't see any gun mounts or anything that resembles a missile launcher.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but it's menacing!
Delete"The vessel therefore boasts a superlative array of capabilities. Available ballistic protection enables the vessel to sustain extended firefights, allowing crews to respond with overwhelming force to asymmetric threats such as swarm attacks while remaining secure and protected from hostile fire."
ReplyDeleteThat's the coolest-sounding description of a 40-ft remote controlled boat I've ever seen, at least.
It's also a full-force assault on reality, but hey.
I'm not in the "resurrect the Iowa-class" camp, but if the Navy wants a "menacing profile" and "intimidating presence", giant steel battleships are a lot scarier than this lil thingy.
ReplyDeleteAre we going to be fighting the Chinese in South Vietnam? It's a large size riverine.
ReplyDeleteWho ever wrote that is a genuis!!! He/she deserves a raise! Now as for the USMC, no clue what they are doing but it looks cool so I guess that's good enough.
ReplyDeleteIt's clearly an attempt to mislead Chinese through clever disinformation. Emboldened by Chinese copies of the overpriced and overcomplicated F-35, the Marines are hoping the Chinese will mass-produce these, too. Soon the South China Sea will be filled with radio controlled floating frowny faces.
ReplyDeleteJust wait for the Corps to announce their Space Marine concept to compete with the Space Force.
"...the 40 Defiant is immediately identifiable as a no-nonsense military machine ready to respond with overwhelming force to any hostile threat."
ReplyDeleteIs that not the most awesome thing ever?
I wonder where I can get one of these?
Lutefisk
Just curious but what is their and USMC definition of "long range"?!?
ReplyDeleteWebsite pretty cool with all the different patrol boats they produce but kind of short on info.....
https://www.metalsharkboats.com/40defiant/
In this article, the manned version that USN is buying is quoted as 12 hours of endurance and 250 NM range....
https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/metal-shark-pb-x-patrol-boat/
Well the good news, I guess there should be some commonality between USN and USMC versions.
So 250NM is long range now?
"250 NM range"
DeleteRange, as you know, is one way. Assuming you want to return home, combat radius is half the range. Assuming you want some reserve fuel, range and radius are less than that even.
I think that it is another action of asking more defense dollars.
ReplyDeleteMarine wants to justify its current status or it could be merged back into Navy.
Indeed...
Delete"Marine wants to justify its current status or it could be merged back into Navy."
DeleteLet's think about that, for a moment. If the Marines are afraid of being merged back into the Navy and lose their separate budget identity, does duplicating Navy tasks really seem the best way to do that? Wouldn't it be far better to develop a UNIQUE capability that would justify the Marines remaining a separate organization? You know, like amphibious assault or port seizure … something the Navy can't do.
I think the more similar the Marines become to the Navy, the more they would be viewed as redundant and likely to be disbanded or merged.
What do you think?
As far as port seizure, wouldn't there be an obvious mission of seizing those ports that China is establishing in places like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Bangladesh? Those are ports that PLAN will need to secure China's oil supply and export routes, and that are largely beyond the domestic A2/AD reach.
DeleteWithout a distinctive mission, isn't there also a risk that the Marines will be merged into the Army? They've pretty much been nothing but baby Army since Westmoreland sent them to I Corps instead of to the Mekong delta, and they've gone along just to have something to do.
DeleteMarines get in, hit fast and hard, get done, and get out. Army holds and occupies territory. Or at least that's the way it used to be. I've had several students who served in the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan complain that the line has gotten blurred, if not eliminated.
Marines need get back to being Marines.
I think there's a real chance of Marines ending back as a special Army unit like mountain or airborne.
Delete"Without a distinctive mission, isn't there also a risk that the Marines will be merged into the Army?"
DeleteOf course, one could also wonder if they'd get merged with the Air Force since the Marines have been working so hard on acquiring F-35B, F-35C, MUX, various other UAVs, MV-22, etc.
The Marines have been duplicating everyone else's missions while ignoring their own (I don't think they even remember their own mission) so they could be merged with any other service or broken into pieces and merged with multiple services.
"I think there's a real chance of Marines ending back as a special Army unit like mountain or airborne."
DeleteThe problem is that the Army already has specialty units for airfield seizure, mountain units, airborne, and global instant response. In other words, the Army already does everything the current Marines do and they do it better. By abandoning their core mission, the Marines have become superfluous.
"Of course, one could also wonder if they'd get merged with the Air Force since the Marines have been working so hard on acquiring F-35B, F-35C, MUX, various other UAVs, MV-22, etc."
DeleteI saw something somewhere that applies. Why does the Navy's Army need an Air Force?
"the 40 Defiant is immediately identifiable as a no-nonsense military machine ready to respond with overwhelming force to any hostile threat."
ReplyDeleteHow?
That is a very indelicate question.
DeleteLutefisk
Upside, these are cheap useless boats, instead of large useless ships. And with a little work, they can be repurposed as passable fishing boats for officers leisure time.
ReplyDelete"...a wide range of shock-mitigating seating options..."
ReplyDeleteNow THAT makes a huge difference lmao... So now bridge crews all get to sit down?? Wonder what they're charging for some padded Jegs racing seats and five point harnesses??
Only use I see for them, is to harass the chinese fishing boats that seem to be everywhere. Judging by the yet-to-be-seen-but-might-be-eventually-installed capabilities, it'll probably be an even fight between this and said fishing boats.
ReplyDeleteAssuming the engines work for more than a 60 hours, the Marines will have totally bested the Navy LCS in anti piracy patrol and intermediate surveillance missions.
ReplyDeleteIt will be even better because the Marines running the boat by remote can work 10 hour shifts, then go shower, eat, exercise and sleep for a few hours. Unlike the LCS crews, who give 14 hours to the ship and 6 more to the paperwork.
The navy will of course be the victors because of the LCS ability to mine... oh... I forgot that never worked and is slowly getting dropped.
Everyone here has missed a very large question...how exactly will the Corps get these things into theater? The Corps seems to want to distance themselves from large amphibs and these things, with their LONG RANGE 250 NM will definitely have to have a lift to wherever they are to be utilized. Utilized to do what I have no idea. Maybe the Chinese will be scared of their looks and the 6 machine guns they possess. We will never find out because, since the Navy will undoubtably move ship building dollars elsewhere as the Marines no longer want the big ships......another still born concept and left to die at some pier.
ReplyDeleteLast ship they left at a pier burnt down...
ReplyDelete