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Missile Defense

SecNav Nominee Suggests Unmanned Ships Can Take Missile Defense Mission

Friday, May 8th, 2020

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SecNav Nominee Suggests Unmanned Ships Can Take Missile Defense Mission

A Ghost Fleet Overlord unmanned surface test vessel takes part in a capstone demonstration during the conclusion of Phase I of the program in September 2019. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The nominee to be Secretary of the Navy told lawmakers unmanned vessels could provide ballistic missile defense (BMD) capability and take some of the onus off of existing Aegis DDG-51 destroyers. In written policy question answers to the Senate Armed Services Committee, nominee Kenneth Braithwaite responded to a question asking if there are opportunities to transition some missile defense of land-based forces to other Navy or land-based assets to free up Aegis BMD ships for maritime missions. He said “I…

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