Unmanned But Not Independent : An analysis of critical sociotechnical factors shaping naval capability emergence from maritime unmanned systems

Sammanfattning

This study examines the integration of maritime unmanned systems (MUS) in naval operations through a sociotechnical perspective, arguing that military utility emerges from alignment between technological affordances, human–machine interaction, organisational structures, and leadership practices rather than from technical performance alone. Employing a qualitative explanatory case study design, the research develops and applies an Integrated Sociotechnical Capability Model (ISCM) as an analytical ideal type to diagnose how sociotechnical configurations shape realised naval capability. Empirical material consists of participant observations from the multinational REPMUS/DYMS exercises, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, and analysis of NATO and Swedish doctrine. The findings demonstrate that constrained military utility stemmed less from platform immaturity than from persistent sociotechnical misalignment between rapidly evolving technologies and more slowly adapting organisational arrangements. This misalignment manifested in elevated cognitive workload, conservative autonomy use, doctrinal lag, and command-and-control scalability challenges. Trust in autonomy emerged as dynamic and experience-based, while organisational flexibility and learning-oriented leadership functioned as critical enabling conditions for capability utilisation. The study concludes that MUS are operationally autonomous but organisationally dependent. Sustainable naval capability therefore requires deliberate sociotechnical co-evolution across technology, doctrine, organisation, and professional practice, rather than technology-centric implementation.