CHINA KIDNAPS A SEA DROID: Jim Dunnigan assesses the “grand theft droid” caper. The post is packed with information.

Sample:

Until the recent incident with China most of the AUV incidents were accidents and curiosities, not diplomatic showdowns. For example, in November, for the second time in 2016, Filipino fishermen in the South China Sea have caught an American AUVs in their nets. These torpedo like devices are clearly marked as to what they are and the American embassy will send someone to pick them up if found. These AUVs are silent, very small, and able to operate on their own for up to a year. The first models were two meters (six feet) long and weighed 59 kg (130 pounds) and built to operate completely on its own collecting valuable information about underwater “weather”. What this AUV does is automatically move slowly (30-70 kilometers a day) underwater, collecting data on salinity and temperature and transmitting back via a satellite link every hour or so as the AUV briefly reaches the surface. This data improves the effectiveness of sonars used by friendly forces, making it easier to detect and track enemy submarines.