
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently announced its No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program launched the first prototype unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed with no crew accommodations, USX-1 Defiant. DARPA noted the NOMAS program “has built a ship designed to operate autonomously for long durations at sea,” according to a Tuesday DARPA statement. Construction of the Defiant was completed in February. In 2022, DARPA chose Serco Inc. to build this NOMARS prototype. At the time, the vessel was…