US Navy Tests Drones To Wage Drugs War With Operation Southern Spear

The U.S. Navy has begun a series of tests to determine which autonomous systems will be best suited to help it foil drug traffickers in the Caribbean and beyond.

As per a recent press statement, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet have launched Operation Southern Spear.

The initiative will involve uncrewed surface vessels that can stay at sea for extended periods, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing uncrewed air systems (UAS). These will combine with manned forces to help provide coordinated maritime domain awareness and conduct counternarcotics operations.

The operations will be conducted in U.S. Southern Command’s Area of Responsibility — which extends in the waters around the Caribbean, and Central and South America — and via U.S. 4th Fleet’s Headquarters at Naval Station Mayport in Florida.

“Southern Spear will operationalize a heterogeneous mix of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to support the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking while learning lessons for other theaters,” said Cmdr. Foster Edwards, 4th Fleet’s Hybrid Fleet Director.

“Southern Spear will continue our (4th Fleet’s) move away from short-duration experimentation into long-duration operations that will help develop critical techniques and procedures in integrating RAS into the maritime environment.”

“Operation Southern Spear is the next step in our Hybrid Fleet Campaign,” added Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet.

• You can read more details on the U.S. Navy website