Unmanned nanomaterial Piranha threatens to redefine naval warfare

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The Piranha USV is now a fully-fledged production craft, having shipped its first unit last November

It's claimed that the Piranha is the only boat in the world constructed from nanomaterials

The 54-foot craft has demonstrated a fuel consumption of 12 U.S. gallons (45.4 liters) per hour at a cruising speed of 24 knots (44 km/h)

Zyvex claims the Piranha offers a 75-percent fuel saving compared to a "traditional" boat consuming 50 U.S. gallons (189 liters) per hour, allowing ten times the range

Though a long-range USV would require a ground crew, Zyvex claims that there is no need for it to be tied down to any specific location or launch platform

The nanomaterial-based unmanned Piranha USV boat is now a reality, and threatens to redefine naval warfare - at least that's what its creators at Zyvex Marine hope

The company has announced two new "platforms" based on the Piranha, the LRV-11 and the LRV-17 - both of which will be offered in manned and unmanned configurations

Zyvex is positioning its ultra-modern boats for a new era of naval supremacy, in which huge fleets of colossal ships are not only prohibitively expensive but also undesirable

In a world in which (Zyvex claims) the main marine threat is posed by piracy, gun-runners and water-borne terrorism, fast and nimble is what counts

Zyvex suggests that the obvious role for an unmanned, long-range USV is as a convoy escort

Zyvex also points out that one of its USVs could be used for stealthy strike attacks, loitering "silently for days or even weeks," before launching Hellfire missiles or Mark 54 torpedoes

Unmanned nanomaterial Piranha threatens to redefine naval warfare

Article Summary

You've heard of UAVs, unmanned remote controlled military aircraft; but what about USVs? Standing for Unmanned Surface Vehicle, a USV is quite simply an unmanned boat, like Zyvex Marine's Piranha concept. We've looked at USVs before, and the Piranha specifically in early 2010; but what was then a prototype under development is now a fully-fledged production craft, having shipped its first unit last November. "Our production facility is closer to rocket science than traditional boat building," says Zyvex Marine VP Byron Nutley of his boat - the only one in the world, it's claimed, that is made out of nanomaterials. But does the Piranha have the technological bite to match the hyperbole, and what does this mean for naval warfare?

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