US Navy Establishes Robotics Warfare Development Center to Prepare Unmanned Systems for Fleet Deployment

The U.S. Navy announced on Sept. 25, 2026 that it has established the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Warfare Development Center (RASWDC) at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia, to train sailors in autonomous technology and prepare robotic systems for fleetwide deployment.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle wrote that “a prototype is not combat power.” He said combat power comes from a trained sailor who can operate a reliable system supported by the right network, logistics, maintenance, software, tactics, authorities and command relationships.

The center will serve as a venue for autonomous systems integration, train sailors to operate systems effectively, and develop a broader curriculum to be rolled out across the Navy. It will also help shape operational concepts and establish rules for mission planning and autonomous system employment, especially when communications between robots and humans in the loop are degraded.

New systems will be tested in simulated deployment environments, including at sea, under pressure, against simulated threats and in communications-degraded conditions. Systems that meet objectives will proceed; those that fail will be eliminated. Caudle described the intended cycle as “field, employ, learn, improve, scale.”

The Navy also demonstrated a new information-sharing capability on Sept. 23 to streamline communication between operators and autonomous aircraft.