No Man Aboard
The U.S. Navy is testing remote-controlled seafaring devices similar in capability to the Predator remote-controlled air vehicle. The Navy’s version, called Sea Fox, could be used for surveillance, security, rescue, and mine-hunting operations.
A small version of the unmanned craft–powered by a jet-ski engine–has been developed for chasing drug runners.
Sea Fox craft can link with the Global Positioning System and can be programmed to travel along a predetermined route or patrol area. The larger version of the craft is powered by engine similar in size to a V-6 car engine and can use most any fuel onboard a U.S. Navy Vessel.
Master Chief James Blesse of the Office of Naval Research in Arlington, Va., notes that the Navy currently has two Sea Foxes, which have yet to undergo rigorous battlefield trials. The Sea Foxes cost between $60,000 to $80,000 to manufacture.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from ABCNews.com (06/22/04) .