SecNav: Robotics warfare specialists will be key to future Navy
NewsApril 09, 2024
NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland. The U.S. Navy will soon start training a new group of specialists focused on robotic warfare in the coming years, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told attendees of the annual Sea-Air-Space exposition on Tuesday.
In February, the Navy issued a fact sheet for the establishment of a "robotics warfare specialist" rating. RW sailors will be "operators, maintainers, and managers who plan and control operations of robotic systems," the fact sheet states.
In his remarks, Del Toro said that the move was part of the Navy's efforts to "match the changing character of war" and followed on the heels of last year's announcement of Task Force 59 by former Chief of Naval Operations Michael Gilday. Task Force 59 "focuses on the operational deployment of unmanned systems teamed with manned operators to bolster maritime security across the Middle East region," according to a Navy statement.
"This year, CNO [Lisa] Franchetti introduced the Robotics Warfare Specialist—or RW—rating into the Fleet," Del Toro said. "RWs will be the subject matter experts for computer vision, mission autonomy, navigation autonomy, data systems, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
"The establishment of the RW rating is a significant milestone in our journey towards achieving a truly Hybrid Fleet," he added.
Sailors who are currently or were previously assigned to uncrewed vehicle billets will be eligible to convert to RWs.
"The Navy needs a dedicated workforce with the right skills and experience to support current and future autonomous, unmanned systems (robotics) employment," the fact sheet states.
