Textron Systems’ TSUNAMI 25 uncrewed surface vessel will support U.S. Navy Fourth Fleet and SOUTHCOM trials in Key West, combining high-speed maritime surveillance, autonomous interdiction support, and potential precision armament for counter-drug and littoral security missions (Picture source: U.S. DoW).

If you are regular reader here you know I am a fan of APKWS, the (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System). Thousands are being made. It is light, cheap, accurate, and easy to use, but effective against unmanned air and surface systems and able to actually hurt a ship at a range of more than 5,000 yards (some sources say 10 kM).

I have been hoping the Navy would develop a maritime surface launcher that would become common enough to be added to Coast Guard cutters. We are not there yet, but it looks like they may be getting close.

The photo above is from a “Seapower” article reporting experiments with unmanned surface craft in 4th Fleet. (More here)

The video above is also a Navy program.

The Army is also getting this system. (More here.)

Interestingly the CROWS II remote weapon station used in the EAGLS system was in service with the Coast Guard at least as early as 2009 (Photo below).

Maybe if the Coast Guard specifically asked for this capability on all their WPCs (or all their cutters), it might help to move things along.

KEYPORT, Wash. (Aug. 18, 2009) U. S. Coast Guardsmen man the rails as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sea Fox (WPB 87374) is brought to life at Naval Base Kitsap. (U.S. Navy photo Ray Narimatsu/Released) On the bow is a CROWS II remote weapon station.