Why armed uncrewed ships still need people

Could small AI-crewed ships produce a new Jeune École?

They may serve as force multipliers under a mother ship, but governments will want people in the loop for vessels carrying serious weapons.

Limited automation is more plausible than an independent all-drone fleet. Artificial intelligence could operate particular functions, but the range and destructive power of even small warships make governments likely to retain a human decision-maker. A nearby mother ship could supervise smaller vessels as force multipliers without releasing them for wholly independent operations. Shore-based missiles also fill much of the coastal-defence role once associated with the Jeune École's small attack craft.