U.S. Navy's Large Drone Ships Participate in RIMPAC Multinational Exercise

A number of U.S. Navy drone ships, known as the ghost fleet, took part in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 drills, in concert with manned platforms.

The ghost fleet consists of unmanned surface vessels such as the Seahawk, Sea Hunter, Ranger and Nomad.

Unmanned and remotely operated vessels extend the capability of interconnected manned platform sensors to enhance capacity across the multinational forces, the Navy said in a release today.

Seahawk and Sea Hunter are each 130 feet long with a central hull and two outriggers. Ranger and Nomad are 200 feet long, 35 feet wide and have a huge cargo deck on the back.

Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.