Science-fiction ideas likely to appear in near-future navies

What science-fiction-inspired naval technologies might appear in the next few decades?

Near-term changes are likely to include onboard manufacturing and repair, immersive sensor displays, powered handling aids, and more remote daughter craft.

Advanced 3D printing could expand a ship's own repair and manufacturing capacity as workshop space returns to warship designs. This would reduce dependence on contractors in every port. Lasers are expected to spread and gain power, while stealth shaping already gives newer ships a simpler, more angular exterior than earlier designs such as the Type 42. More unusual power sources are another possibility over the next several decades. Submarines already resemble spacecraft in their enclosed environment and reliance on sensors to understand the outside world. Hardened physical controls are expected to remain more dependable than floating holographic interfaces. Other proposals include immersive views from remote sensors, exoskeletons for handling loads or supporting marines, and more daughter craft carried by surface ships.