ABSTRACT
By embracing the robotics age, the U.S. Navy might be able to hurdle acquisition challenges to bring cutting-edge technology to contemporary naval warfare. Incorporating robotics technology into the fleet as fast as possible would magnify the fleet's capacity, lethality, and opportunity—all critical to strategic and tactical considerations. Doing so would also recognize the fiscal constraints under which our present force planning cannot be sustained. Recognizing the fundamental shift in maritime affairs that is embedded in the robotics age can help Navy planners refocus efforts to emphasize the “right side” of their offensive kill chain—the side that delivers the packages producing kinetic and nonkinetic effects.
