Metal Shark. Loitering munitions. Collaborative swarming behaviors.

That’s who and what this episode will cover, thanks to a recent agreement between the Marine Corps. and Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark for a new type of long-distance, autonomous warship.

Technically classified as the Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel (LRUSV), the objective for Metal Shark will be to create a 30’ craft capable of providing unmanned operations in delivering drones, or the aforementioned loitering munitions, that are capable of collecting information about a potential target before blowing it up.

These Kamikaze drones would form what the Strategic Capabilities Office has dubbed a Sea Mob capable of searching for, and potentially waiting for targets before detonating. According to TaskandPurpose.com, a fleet of LRUSVs would deploy as a “collaborative swarm” capable of interacting with other vessels and weapons systems in overwhelming a target or enemy.