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The United States Navy is currently grappling with a myriad of challenges, notably shipbuilding shortages and an insufficient fleet size, as it turns its gaze toward the Pacific Ocean, increasingly wary of China's expanding maritime power. In light of these pressing concerns, Blue Water Autonomy, an innovative defense technology startup, emerges with a compelling proposition: uncrewed warships that could significantly enhance the Navy's operational capabilities while reducing costs.

According to Austin Gray, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Blue Water, there is a clear deficiency in the overall capabilities of the US Navy. Human crewed ships would never be able to offer a 20 to 30 million dollar platform that can venture into the open ocean and execute a variety of missions, he stated in an interview with Business Insider. This highlights the potential of uncrewed vessels to meet the demands of modern naval warfare.

Founded in 2024 by a collective of former Navy officers and a seasoned engineer, Blue Water Autonomy recently raised $14 million in seed funding in April. This Boston-based startup is focused on developing fully autonomous warships that not only promise to be mass-producible but also able to seamlessly operate alongside traditional crewed vessels in future naval operations.

The Navy's ambitious plan includes constructing a battle force comprising 381 crewed warships alongside 134 uncrewed surface and undersea vessels. Currently, the Navy operates various drone vessels, some designed for reconnaissance and surveillance tasks, while others serve as combat platforms.

Gray, who has a background as a Navy intelligence officer, emphasized that many of the existing drone vessels are limited in their operational range and payload capacity. He noted that these vessels are often better suited for protecting strategic chokepoints, such as the Strait of Hormuz or critical ports, rather than undertaking lengthy endurance missions across the open sea.

As US military leadership braces for the possibility of conflict with China, the state of Americas naval forces is under intense scrutiny. A confrontation between the two nations would likely involve extensive maritime engagements, underscoring the necessity for the Navy to bolster its traditional fleet with advanced drone capabilities. The vast expanses of the Western Pacific demand vessels that can operate over long distances, thus requiring a formidable blue-water fleet.

Gray posed a crucial question: How do we start something outside Chinese missile range, like 2,000 miles back, go into missile range operate, conduct a mission and then get back out? This is precisely where Blue Water Autonomy aims to make a significant impact.

The design of their ships plays a vital role in achieving these operational goals. Blue Water envisions a vessel that is large enough to hold sufficient fuel for long-range missions and equipped with one or more engines, leading to an optimal length of roughly 100 feet. Gray believes that an autonomous design is preferable for a vessel of this scale, as attempting to incorporate all the necessary support and defensive systems within a crewed ship would result in a chaotic and uncomfortable environment for sailors. Furthermore, it would complicate the warship's design and functionality.

With a fleet of autonomous vessels, Blue Water aims to address a significant obstacle in the Navys preparations for possible conflict with China the imperative to develop a larger naval force without overburdening a shipbuilding industry that is already facing challenges.

In comparison, China currently boasts a more substantial naval force, with its shipyards rapidly constructing new surface combatants. In stark contrast, the American shipbuilding sector has deteriorated to such an extent that even President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month aimed at revitalizing it.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, recently informed lawmakers that China is producing warships at a rate of about three for every one that the US can build. He has also previously noted that uncrewed systems could play a crucial role in bridging the gap left by the insufficient number of crewed vessels available to the Navy.

Gray articulated that the production of autonomous vessels could proceed without exacerbating the existing pressures on American shipyards, which are currently engaged in the construction of complex warships that can take years to complete. Blue Water asserts that it can design and produce a prototype of an autonomous warship within 18 months, with the potential to manufacture dozens per year at smaller, fully equipped shipyards across the United States. The company is already exploring partnerships with various facilities.

Manned ships are complicated, exquisite, and extensive, and they cost billions of dollars, Gray explained. In contrast, unmanned ships present a much simpler design. We can feasibly produce 50 per year in medium-sized yards.

Blue Water has a test vessel currently undergoing trials at a confidential location in New England. The company is actively assessing the hardware, software, and payloads intended for its uncrewed ships, with three separate designs under development.

One of the paramount considerations in the design process is survivability. Recent Houthi attacks against vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea raise critical questions regarding how these autonomous vessels will withstand threats posed by anti-ship missiles and maritime strike drones.

Gray expressed the intention to equip Blue Water's uncrewed ships with weaponry, as he believes electronic warfare capabilities alone will not suffice to protect vessels from drone attacks. As adversaries adapt to new technologies, he asserts that a kinetic defensive system, potentially including guns or surface-to-air missiles, will be essential for future maritime conflicts. Blue Water is taking cues from the experiences of Ukraine, which has successfully integrated weapon systems into its uncrewed surface vessels, utilizing missile launchers, machine guns, and small drones to disrupt Russia's operations in the Black Sea.