Commentary In April, the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet ran a much-anticipated Fleet battle problem. Arguably, its dull official name, Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem 21, was a touch misleading. Navy Fleet battle problems have a remarkable history for testing technology, training sailors, developing organizations and informing long-term decisions that have greatly benefited the United States. I’m referring to the 1920s and 1930s battle problems, which always had a trans-oceanic campaign against Japan as their strategic backdrop. Prescient? Yes. And the battle problems were rigorous in execution and detailed in evaluation. 2021’s fleet problem, under wartime-like operational conditions, tested gee-whiz military and communications technology, specifically unmanned warships and unmanned aircraft, some remotely controlled, some autonomously or semi-autonomously controlled. Autonomous-type systems can be classified as robots. They have a degree of “artificial intelligence” to guide the system’s ability to maneuver, communicate and shoot. Armed robot war machines could and should sound threatening, but …