Distributing a warship's functions across several vessels requires a propulsion installation for each hull. The comparison here uses seven or eight engine systems to illustrate how those repeated costs can accumulate. An expendable attack drone has different endurance requirements from a reusable vessel expected to carry out several roles with an ocean-going task group. The engine-life figures offered are illustrative: about 50 hours for a one-way craft against hundreds or thousands for a reusable vessel. The command ship must also provide computing capacity, space and personnel to control its accompanying uncrewed vessels.
Notable Point · 2:54:22-2:56:17
Reusable oceanic USVs have different costs from expendable drones
Repeated propulsion installations, longer engine life and control requirements complicate comparisons between reusable fleet USVs and one-way attack drones.