The U.S. military is reported to be testing a missile-armed,
remote-controlled robotic boats developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced
Defenses Systems, possibly to bolster its naval capabilities in the
Persian Gulf where it's locked in a mainly maritime confrontation with
Iran.
The mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth reports that the Americans see a
possible use for the 30-foot unmanned Protector boats, which can carry
one bow-mounted 7.62mm machine gun or anti-ship missiles, against
Iranian suicide boats manned by Revolutionary Guards.
The small Iranian vessels are intended to "either block or attack any
American aircraft carrier making its way through the Strait of Hormuz,"
the newspaper said.
Iran has threatened to close that narrow waterway, the only way in
and out of the Persian Gulf, if it is attacked. One-third of the world's
oil supplies pass through the 112-mile channel every day.
The Israeli navy is reported to be operating Protectors armed with
multipurpose anti-armor Spike missiles, which are also built by Haifa's
Rafael. Britain's BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin helped develop the
unmanned boats.
Yedioth reports that last Wednesday the U.S. Navy test-fired six
missiles from several unmanned surface vessels off the coast of
Maryland. The daily gave no other details but observed that "all ...
were reportedly accurate."
Wired magazine, which monitors new weapons systems, quoted Mark
Moses, the U.S. Navy's drone boats program manager, as saying, "The
tests are a significant step forward in weaponizing surface unmanned
combat capability."
The Protectors "could be used for a number of applications, including
harbor security, and in various defensive operations and scenarios,
which are of primary concern for the Navy," Moses added.
Yedioth reported that any U.S. contract to buy Protector is "expected
to amount to millions of dollars." But it noted that the Americans may
arm any boats it buys with U.S.-built missiles, such as the Javelin or
the Hellfire, rather than Israeli-made weapons.
These are both combat-proven systems modified for naval deployment.
The FGM-148 fire-and-forget Javelin anti-tank weapon is built by
Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. The AGM-114 Hellfire is produced by
Lockheed Martin.
The Protector is already in service with the Israeli and Singaporean
navies. It can reach speeds of 42 miles per hour. Its machine gun is
capable of staying on target even in rough seas.
The boat carries radar and sonar systems and at least four cameras to
identify targets, with electro-optical systems to provide 3-D imaging.
Noam Brock, who headed the Rafael team that developed the Protector,
said the boat can operate at night and cope with heavy seas.
"Its systems are so advanced they can track the flight of a single bird," he said in 2006.
"The next step ... will be to equip the system with greater attack capabilities." That seems to have been achieved.
Rafael officials also see Protector having an anti-piracy mission,
possibly against the Somalia pirate gangs marauding across the Indian
Ocean, or the growing threat in the Atlantic off West Africa, a major
oil-producing zone.
Other USVs are also on the market. One is the 21-foot Interceptor
manufactured by Marine Robotic Vessels International of Florida. It can
make speeds of 55 mph and has reportedly emphasized reconnaissance over
firepower.
In late 2007, British defense firm Qineteq unveiled the jet-ski-sized Sentry, which was designed for intruder investigation.
It's likely that the Israeli navy will use Protector as part of the
force it's building to guard its natural gas fields in the eastern
Mediterranean. In the decades ahead, the offshore production platforms,
due to start coming onstream in 2014, and other infrastructure will be a
strategic target for Israel's adversaries.
Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah in Lebanon, are seen as particular
threats, as is Syria and to a lesser extent Palestinian militants.
Hezbollah reportedly has hundreds of long-range missiles capable of hitting the offshore facilities south of Lebanon.
