US Coast Guard Admiral Discusses Regulation of Autonomous Vessels and Cybersecurity

Regulation of Autonomous Vessels

• 💡 Admiral Rada states that the Coast Guard is currently keeping pace with the development of new autonomous vessels and activities.
• ⚠️ He acknowledges that as technology advances, more data will be needed to determine regulations, define what constitutes a vessel, and ensure safety among maritime users in ports.

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Program Executive Office (RASPO)

• 🚀 The Coast Guard has established the RASPO to serve as a central point of responsibility for autonomous and robotics systems.
• 🛠️ This office consolidates various divisions previously responsible for counter- UAS, aircraft, and surface systems, and is tasked with developing training, acquiring technology, and managing obsolescence.
• 🧑‍🔬 A new rate, the robotics mission specialist, is being created to support the field deployment of these systems.

Integration with Existing Programs

• 🤝 The RASPO will work closely with the futures development and initiatives directorate, which oversees the R&D center, DIU, and the blue technology center of expertise.
• 🌐 The blue technology center of expertise acts as a liaison to academia and industry to identify and rapidly integrate new technologies for operators.

Cybersecurity for Ports and Infrastructure

• 🔒 Rear Admiral Thomas emphasizes that the Coast Guard Cyber Command is focused on protecting ports and critical infrastructure from nation-state and ransomware threats.
• 🛡️ Coast Guard Cyber Protection Teams conduct threat hunt and assessment missions in ports, identifying vulnerabilities and emulating adversary activities.
• 📊 Findings are provided to private sector entities for mitigation, and aggregated, anonymized data is shared across the industry to improve overall cybersecurity posture.