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By Tom Squitieri
Red Snow News
WASHINGTON — The U.S. lost significant equipment to the Taliban when it left Afghanistan in August 2021. Now the Pentagon is sending to Ukraine an experimental cutting-edge coastal defense system and seems not to have a concern about the cutting-edge technology possibly falling into Russian hands.
“I don’t even know how I can answer that question,” John Kirby, the Pentagon’s spokesperson, said when asked about precautions to protect the weapon’s unique, advanced technology. “I’m not going to talk about a hypothetical capture by the Russians and what that would do or what that would mean.”
The Pentagon is sending several of the experimental vessels (USVs) to Ukraine, even though the system is still being further developed and fine-tuned for use by the Navy. It has not specified which variants are being discussed and which missions they will be able to carry out.
It is a system other nations are also vying to perfect and establish prowess, making its technology valuable, according to the General Accounting Office.
“Other nations are investing in new weapons and technologies designed to disrupt U.S. naval advantages. Consequently, the U.S. Navy is reexamining its maritime strategy to respond to increased competition at sea. Based on the results of its analyses, the Navy determined that surface and undersea vehicles without crew onboard — known as uncrewed maritime systems —are necessary to meet future threats,” the GAO said on April 7.
“Once conceived, the Navy must build these vehicles with the information technology and the artificial intelligence capabilities needed to replace crews,” it said.
When the last $800 weapons tranche was announced on April 14, Kirby brushed aside questions regarding the experimental system, saying ‘“It’s an unmanned surface vessel that can be used for a variety of purposes in coastal defense. I think I’ll just leave it at that,” adding that, “It’s coming from Navy stocks.”
Yet he did underscore the elite nature of the vessel and perhaps why the U.S would want to keep it from Russian hands. “‘These unmanned boats can be used for various purposes in coastal defense. I think I will keep which ones secret,” he said.