1
For more on defense transformation and naval transformation, see CRS Report RL32238,
Defense Transformation: Background and Oversight Issues for Congress, by Ronald O’Rourke,
and CRS Report RS20851, Naval Transformation: Background and Issues for Congress, by
Ronald O’Rourke.
2
For more on UAVs, see CRS Report RL31872, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Background and
Issues for Congress, by Harlan Geer and Christopher Bolkcom.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Order Code RS21294
Updated October 25, 2006
Unmanned Vehicles for U.S. Naval Forces:
Background and Issues for Congress
Ronald O’Rourke
Specialist in National Defense
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
Unmanned vehicles (UVs) are viewed as a key element of the effort to transform
U.S. military forces. The Department of the Navy may eventually acquire every major
kind of UV. Navy and Marine Corps UV programs raise several potential issues for
Congress. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Background
Introduction. Unmanned vehicles (UVs) are viewed as a key component of U.S.
defense transformation.
1
Perhaps uniquely among the military departments, the
Department of the Navy (DON), which includes the Navy and Marine Corps, may
eventually acquire every major kind of UV, including unmanned air vehicles (UAVs),
2
unmanned combat air vehicles (or UCAVs, which are UAVs armed with weapons),
unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), and
unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).
Section 220 of the FY2001 defense authorization act (H.R. 4205/P.L. 106-398 of
October 30, 2000) states, “It shall be a goal of the Armed Forces to achieve the fielding
of unmanned, remotely controlled technology such that — (1) by 2010, one-third of the
aircraft in the operational deep strike force aircraft fleet are unmanned; and (2) by 2015,
one-third of the operational ground combat vehicles are unmanned.” A 2005 report by
the Naval Studies Board (NSB) recommended that the Navy and Marine Corps should
