ANALYSIS OF ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH EMPLOYMENT OF UNMANNED MARITIME VEHICLE FOR ENHANCED NATIONAL DEFENCE IN THE MARITIME DOMAIN

Abstract

An operational use of autonomous Unmanned Maritime Vehicles(UMVs) forces the adversary to maintain a defence posture, taking the focus away from the movement and targeting of manned units. The current UMVs can perform dirty and dangerous missions without the direct presence of the operator. The present study analysed issues associated with employment of UMVs for enhanced national defence in the maritime domain. The study adopted the field survey research design by conducting interviews and administrating questionnaires to 3 groups in the Nigerian Navy technical units. A descriptive research approach was adopted and data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. A total of 250 copies of the questionnaires were physically distributed and the returned rate of the questionnaire represented 88.4 per cent validity. Four issues were identified in the present study to be associated with the employment of UMVs for national defence. One of issues is the increasing actors and objects in the maritime environment where 94.6 per cent of the respondent were in agreement with this assertion. Additionally, proliferation of flash point and quality control were identified as issues related to the employment of UMVs for national defence where there is 87.8 and 64.7 per cent respondents agreements respectively. Finally, is the issue of the diffusion into new environment where is 78.3 per cent agreement by the respondents.  Consequently, there is need for concrete measures to be taken by relevant stakeholders to mitigate these issues for enhanced national defence in especially in maritime domain.