A home port for those who are multi-genrelational (sic) in their writing, lifestyles and thinking. Itinerants, hobos and sailors are welcome, but don’t expect food, drink or money. And don’t expect many views either — after all, you’re off course, of course. Tie up here!
The latest Chinese military technology at seas. Image credit: Weibo via SCMP
China has just completed trials of its first unmanned surface vessel (USV) — a three-hour maiden sea voyage offshore of Zhoushan, in the eastern province of Zhejiang.
A bastard design?
Some commentator say that it looks like a hybrid of the US Zumwalt-class destroyer and the Sea Hunter drone ship. What do you think?
Zumwalt
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ZUMWALT. 161208-N-ZF498–130 SAN DIEGO (Dec. 8, 2016) The U.S. Navy’s newest warship, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) passes Coronado bridge on its way to Naval Base San Diego. Zumwalt is the lead ship of a class of next-generation multi-mission destroyers, now homeported in San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony N. Hilkowski/Released). Image credit: By National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 161208-N-ZF498–130, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70767073
Hardly a ship of beauty is she?
Sea Hunter
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PORTLAND, Ore. (Apr. 7, 2016) Sea Hunter, an entirely new class of unmanned ocean-going vessel gets underway on the Willamette River following a christening ceremony in Portland, Ore. Image credit: By U.S. Navy/John F. Williams — This image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 160407-N-PO203–598 (next). Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48073002
Well, it may be my eyes, but I don’t know what genes the Chinese vessel inherited from Zumwalt. Yes, there’s a stealth aspect with surfaces shaped to minimise the radar cross-section and also locate phased-array radar, but that’s common to many late-generation warships…
Defence technology, geopolitics, energy & AI analysis. Creator of the Geopolitical Viscosity Index, measuring the structural friction of sovereign power.
A home port for those who are multi-genrelational (sic) in their writing, lifestyles and thinking. Itinerants, hobos and sailors are welcome, but don’t expect food, drink or money. And don’t expect many views either — after all, you’re off course, of course. Tie up here!
Also worrying is the potential of consumer technology equipped with AI. The Israelis have already conducted at least one assassination using a face-recognition system linked up to a machine gun. There are millions of Raspberry Pi boards out there…
Didn't they have radio controlled boats during nuclear tests in the 1950s? That thing looks closer to one of those. Why would you build your boat high above water if it was AI? Anyway, AI is a joke to me for what it's worth. Great for…
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