Unlocking autonomy: an inside look at the US Navy’s newest venture

Artificial intelligence is quickly changing the way wars are fought — and the U.S. Navy is leaning heavily into software, autonomy, and unmanned systems to stay ahead. In this episode of Mission Critical, host Ryan Robertson explores how the Navy is building a new kind of combat network where crewed ships, aircraft, and autonomous drones operate together as one connected force. At the center of this transformation is the Minotaur mission management system, a software platform that fuses data from sensors across ships, aircraft, and unmanned vehicles into a single real-time picture of the battlefield. Think of it like the operating system for the Navy’s future fleet — where new capabilities can be added like apps instead of rebuilding entire platforms. Ryan speaks with defense industry leaders and former Navy officials about how AI autonomy stacks like Odyssey and Hivemind are enabling unmanned vessels, aircraft, and drones to operate collaboratively — extending the reach, survivability, and lethality of manned platforms. You’ll learn how autonomy allows a single operator to potentially control dozens—or even hundreds—of unmanned systems, how AI pilots are already flying drones in contested environments like Ukraine, and why human oversight remains critical when it comes to lethal decisions. Also in this episode: A new partnership using robotic welding AI to speed up U.S. Navy shipbuilding Why the Pentagon wants new C-130J ski planes for Arctic operations A look back at the 231st anniversary of the U.S. Naval Supply Corps As autonomous systems, electronic warfare, and directed energy weapons reshape the battlefield, one thing is clear: the future of naval warfare will be built on software, networks, and intelligent machines working alongside human warfighters.