China launches drone ship: Why India needs to develop its own AI-powered automated warship

Soldiers marching, driving tanks, flying fighter jets, and operating warships - with large-scale conflict being introduced to the 21st century by Russia and Ukraine, these are the weapons usually imagined as tools of war.

But with the technological revolution marching on, artificial intelligence is gradually reaching the battlefield. A few days ago, we told you about the KARGU drone - a Turkish invention powered by AI, which can target and attack enemies without specific orders by human controllers.

Now, China seems to be trying to introduce similar technology at sea. A special Chinese ship called 'Zhu Hai Yun' was launched on May 18. It can be reportedly by controlled remotely and is capable of navigating autonomously.

ALSO WATCH | This military drone with AI attacks enemies without operator's command; in high demand, says firm

The ship can carry multiple drones, submersibles, and other vessels. Its tasks include marine environment monitoring, and disaster management. The vessel was constructed by Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, and it might be delivered for deployment by end of 2022.

This is seen as a precursor to an automated warship, currently being developed by the Chinese Navy. The PLA Navy is reportedly working on a drone ship called JARI. The 'mini-destroyer' is designed to carry multiple weapons. It is likely to be armed with surface-to-air missiles, and also lightweight torpedo tubes.

It is likely to be equipped with phased-array radar, electro-optical devices, and sonar. The ship has been built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation. A prototype was launched in 2019, and sea trials began in 2020.

AI-powered ships are also making their way to the commercial world. An autonomous ship recently completed a voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

The ship named 'Prism Courage' was built by Hyundai. It is an ultra-large liquid natural gas tanker operated by SK Shipping. The automated features include monitoring of weather, wave height, and nearby shipping traffic.

Prism Courage travelled from the Gulf of Mexico to the Boryeong LNG Terminal in South Korea via the Panama Canal. Around half of the 20,000 km journey was done with the autonomous system active. It needed human monitoring, but no intervention during journey, as per reports.

India's biggest adversary China is currently focused on establishing itself as the lynchpin of global trade through the Belt and Road Initiative. Beijing is also trying to expand its military footprint in the Indo-Pacific. In both these arenas, autonomous ships might prove to be a gamechanger.

With India also trying to follow an 'aatmanirbhar' or self-reliant path, the indigenous development of an autonomous vessel might be the need of the hour.