US Navy Halts $20 Million Autonomy Software Deal with L3Harris over Drone Failures
A U.S. Navy effort to build a fleet of autonomous drone boats has been hit by major setbacks after multiple crashes during recent tests, leading the Pentagon to pause a $20 million autonomy software contract with defense firm L3Harris.
In one California test last month, a drone boat stalled due to a software glitch before being struck by another vessel, which vaulted onto its deck before crashing back into the sea, according to video footage seen by Reuters. In a separate incident, a support boat capsized after a drone vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, throwing its captain overboard.
Both accidents were linked to software malfunctions and human error, officials said. The Navy declined to comment.
The failures highlight challenges facing the Pentagon’s ambitious plan to field swarms of autonomous maritime vessels to counter potential Chinese advances across the Taiwan Strait.
Beyond technical troubles, the program has also been rocked by leadership turmoil. Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, head of the Navy’s drone boat acquisition unit (PEO USC), was fired earlier this year, while the unit itself is now under review after skepticism from top Pentagon officials.
The Navy has invested $160 million in BlackSea Technologies and backed startups like Saronic, as part of the Pentagon’s $1 billion “Replicator” program to rapidly deploy drones. Still, critics warn the Navy is struggling to adapt to fast-moving autonomous warfare.
