An Cosantóir

46 small boats, the laser would target a craft's motor to disable it and make it «dead in the water,» then repeating this against others in rapid succession, requiring only a few seconds of firing per boat. This advanced system is more efficient than individual crewmembers and also considerably accurate. These types of advanced defensive systems will only bring about the development of even more advanced offensive strike weapons, which may lead to a situation that is believed to have been described by Albert Einstein "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones" If this is indeed the case, then the Navy may have to employ an Hortator to control the cadence of any naval vessel. The selection of a target or vessel will more than likely be done by means of optically equipped naval Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. These UAV will be able to provide real-time data and information about vessels, crew numbers, registration, weather fronts, port layouts, natural harbours. Plus provide long-term top cover in Search and Rescue scenarios, along with the potential for the delivery of on-site life-saving equipment, such as an inflatable life raft. The launch and recovery of these UAV will be easily managed from the stern of any naval vessel and will allow their operators to work in more comfortable surroundings, whether on a ship or on land. UAV have been utilised to predict weather, an obvious key concern for life at sea, NASA have deployed drones to track and obtain data on hurricanes and other weather conditions - allowing for more accurate weather forecasts. An area of concern for the near and distant future is the changing arctic landscape and potential sea level rise due to climate change. Global observational evidence shows the Arctic Ocean is losing sea ice and ice mass; hence the ice shelf is changing faster than any other location globally. Due to warming temperatures, sea levels are rising and precipitation patterns are changing with higher levels of weather extremes. Sea levels rose on average nearly half a foot over the 20th century, a rate faster than that in any century since at least 800 BC. The rise so far is mostly owing to thermal expansion, as warmer water takes up more space, but future sea-level changes are also likely to be driven by melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. All these events - either combined or singularly - could imperil and destabilise many regions domestically and abroad, resulting in strategic implications for many navies. Issues will range from drought-prone regions experiencing heightened disputes over water rights, to coastal areas facing mass human migration. The Arctic, where melting sea ice clears the way for new shipping lanes or more traditional lanes remaining open for longer periods of time, may also see an increase in mineral extraction. All these will be new opportunities for conflict. Rising sea levels and related storm surges will have to be considered when designing new infrastructure projects on country scale and smaller organisational scale. The Navy may have to find innovative ways to protect its base from a beautiful enemy, Mother Nature. As the risk of damage to the domestic bases and ports, on which it depends to maintain fleet readiness, will also increase. Most navies, including Ireland, land-based assets—shipyards, bases, and other installations—are on seacoasts. So pre-emptive investment to prevent damage from rising seas and storm surges - along with enhancing the ability to recover rapidly when damage occurs - will be vital. Climate change is also expected to increase the demand for disaster response and humanitarian assistance, with the latter being a task that the Irish Navy has already proven its worth at. However the need to plan - not for a new static world but for an increasingly dynamic one - may impair and test the capacity of any navy to deliver these services. The Irish Navy can help mitigation against climate change by reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. By switching to renewable fuels and replacing technologies with more-energy-efficient ones. Systems that will likely be capable of long-endurance missions, lasting several weeks to several months. This type of system efficiency may be found in the new era in naval power in unmanned underwater vehicles or UUVs. The underwater realm is a difficult environment because of the limitations of underwater communications, which makes some form of artificial intelligence (AI) mandatory. Although achieving interoperability - through the ability for UUVs to communicate with each other, even if they operate in the same area - will be difficult if not impossible. Different manufacturers UUVs mean a lack of common standards and protocols for wireless v JSV Maxlimer Shell Ocean Discovery X-Prize Photo by MaritimeUK.Org v .S. Navy Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) conducts an operational demonstration of the Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored Laser Weapon System (LaWS) while deployed to the Arabian Gulf. U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams THE NEXT 75 YRS

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