U.S. Army eyes drone boats to fix Pacific logistics

The U.S. Army is preparing tests for uncrewed drone boats in the Pacific next summer, as it grapples with declining mission-ready watercraft. Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner says the service could eventually buy 30 to 100 medium-sized autonomous vessels designed to ca

A constant demand for supplies in the Pacific is colliding with a hard limit: the U.S. Army’s watercraft fleet is shrinking in readiness. Now, the service is looking at drone boats to push more cargo through more places—faster, and with fewer crews tied up in routine delivery.

Speaking at a media roundtable last week, Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner. head of 8th Theater Sustainment Command. said the Army anticipates testing a drone boat sometime as early as next summer. The concept is uncrewed surface vessels. or USVs. designed to supplement the Army’s limited fleet of supply and transport watercraft in the Pacific.

Gardner said the Army could ultimately end up buying a fleet of anywhere between 30 and 100 medium-sized vessels. They would be capable of carrying eight to ten 20-foot containers. He did not identify companies involved. but said that some firms had traveled to the region and demonstrated some of their systems.

The operational picture Gardner described is built around speed and reach. These autonomous vessels could range in size and use. but larger options would need container-carrying capacity for shipping containers. supplies. and soldiers. “I could see those operating in the US PACOM area of responsibility. ” Gardner said. referring to US Pacific Command. which oversees military operations in the region.

He said autonomous ships would provide “a ton of operations. inventory in motion. easy to respond.” Because they would be autonomous. Gardner said they could also be worked with “with our partner nations forward. ” noting that they could be berthed “everywhere from Korea to Japan. the Philippines. Australia. Singapore. Thailand. etc.”.

Command control would likely be different from traditional deployments. Gardner said the vessels could be controlled from the command’s headquarters in Hawaii, while likely being forward-deployed to meet a steady demand for Army watercraft delivering supplies and equipment across the Pacific area.

The first step is scheduled to be relatively concrete. Gardner said the expectation is that the first contracted vessel would head out to Hawaii this time next year and assist in moving equipment and supplies in the Hawaiian islands for evaluation.

The move comes against a backdrop of long-running readiness issues. In 2024, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that the mission-capable rate of the Army’s 70 watercraft slid from more than 70% in 2020 to less than 40% in 2024, partially due to long-standing maintenance issues.

The Army’s drone-boat plan is positioned as one response among several. Gardner said the Army is already working to address problems with its fleet beyond autonomous surface vessels. In 2024. the Army activated its first new composite watercraft company in decades. and it plans to receive a total of seven Maneuver Support Vessels (Light); one is currently in service. Another composite watercraft company is set to be activated in October. Gardner said. and one potentially consisting of autonomous and crewed vessels could be ready next year.

Gardner was explicit about what USVs are meant to do—routine deliveries, not a wholesale replacement. “I use autonomous watercraft to do routine delivery,” he said. “And then I see my manned Army watercraft systems to really give commanders operational maneuver to deliver at the time and place of our choosing. on the beach. that maybe an autonomous watercraft doesn’t have the capability to do. but current Army watercraft systems are designed to do.”.

That distinction matters because it ties the technology to the Army’s broader operational needs. not just a wish to automate. The service is also looking at pulling prepositioned watercraft out of storage. using contractor-owned and -operated vessels. training Army personnel on those contractor vessels. and relying on allies like Japan and the Philippines for assistance to address shortfalls.

Taken together. the timing and the numbers Gardner floated—testing next summer. with a first contracted vessel expected to arrive in Hawaii this time next year. and a potential long-term purchase range of 30 to 100 medium-sized autonomous container-carrying vessels—show how the Army is trying to relieve strain without betting everything on one fix. The logistics pressure in the Pacific remains. and the answer. for now. is a mixed fleet built to move supplies while crews stay focused on the tasks that require manned maneuvering.

U.S. Army drone boats uncrewed surface vessels USVs Pacific Command logistics watercraft readiness container shipping autonomous vessels 8th Theater Sustainment Command composite watercraft Maneuver Support Vessels (Light)