Florida Senator Rick Scott sent a blunt message to military leaders this week: the U.S. Navy needs to stop over-studying drone technology and start putting it in the water.
While chairing a Senate Armed Services Committee Seapower Subcommittee hearing, Scott questioned witnesses about the slow pace of acquiring unmanned surface vessels (USVs). He argued that the U.S. is currently lagging behind global competitors and must prioritize autonomous systems to maintain its edge.
“There is no question that our Navy must move decisively to integrate unmanned systems into the fight. The time is now and the Navy is late to the game already,” Scott said during the session. “The history of warfare teaches us that whenever we don’t lead, we eventually suffer.”
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The hearing focused on how the Navy plans to use these robotic ships for high-stakes tasks like air defense, mine clearing, and reconnaissance. Scott pointed out that while adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran are moving quickly, the U.S. Navy’s strategy has often seemed “non-committal.”
The Senator highlighted a recent $5 billion investment passed by Congress—specifically $3.6 billion for unmanned surface vessels—intended to force the Navy’s hand. He expressed frustration that previous plans suggested waiting until 2029 to start certain programs, despite many private companies being ready to build now.
“My staff and I have met with numerous companies that build these unmanned systems, and they all tell us the same thing: the Navy has no clear strategy and they don’t know what the Navy needs or wants them to build,” Scott said.
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Testifying before the committee was Rear Admiral Derek A. Trinque, Director of Surface Warfare, and Rebecca J. Gassler, the Navy’s first Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Robotic Autonomous Systems. Scott pressed them for specific details on the fiscal year 2027 budget, asking for clear numbers on how much will be spent on small and medium vessels, as well as the weapons systems that make them “lethal.”
Scott noted that while Secretary Phelan has recently taken steps to reorganize these efforts “like a businessman fixing a broken organization,” the Navy still owes the country a clear solution to ensure American sailors and Marines are not left behind in a changing battlespace.
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