This is a short piece, but I wanted to write something on this topic because it is demonstrative of how uncrewed systems are changing how some military institutions are thinking about their inventories of large, exquisite platforms and how uncrewed systems are having an increasing influence over how force is projected in all military theatres, not just eastern Ukraine.

This week, saw two important events regarding the application of uncrewed systems in the maritime environment. First, the Government of Ukraine publicly unveiled its range of Magura uncrewed naval vessels. Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence in the Ministry of Defense unveiled several classes of the maritime sea drones capable of destroying enemy ships and aircraft:

Second, and central to the subject of this quick assessment, the government of South Korea announced that the planned light aircraft carrier (CVX) project for the South Korean Navy had been shelved in favour of a new Uncrewed Aerial Systems ship.

This has implications for how other navies might think about the employment of uncrewed systems, and how offensive capability might be projected from naval vessels. This quick assessment will explore the background of the CVX project, and how this shift in role for the vessel might influence naval operations and the force designs for other navies in Europe and the Pacific. The assessment also poses several questions about these naval drone carriers and their role in future conflicts.