@article{LI2026, 
author = {Ying LI and Kaitian LU and Tiechao BAI and Jing MA and Wenbin HUANG and Xiaotao WU and Yong WANG and Hao ZHANG and Chunyan WANG and Chen DENG and Enze LU and Mingzhi SHAO},
title = {Research progress on maritime multi-domain counter-UxS protection system and key technologies},
year = {2026},
journal = {Chinese Journal of Ship Research},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {442-474},
keywords = {maritime unmanned systems, asymmetric threats, counter-unmanned systems, multi-domain protection system},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.19693/j.issn.1673-3185.05013},
doi = {10.19693/j.issn.1673-3185.05013},
abstract = {With the evolution of cross-domain unmanned systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), from single-platform employment to mission-chain coordination, the close-in protection of ship formations is increasingly challenged by asymmetric threats characterized by low observability, multi-directional approach, low-cost attrition, and saturation penetration. Accordingly, the focus of protection has shifted from intercepting individual targets to mission-chain identification, degradation, disruption, strike-effect assessment, and terminal mission sustainment. This paper reviews the development and key technologies of maritime multi-domain counter-unmanned systems (C-UxS) protection under confrontation scenarios between ship formations and cross-domain unmanned systems. The discussion focuses on small unmanned threats operating within close-in line-of-sight ranges in low-altitude, sea-skimming, surface, and shallow-water spaces, including small UAVs, sea-skimming loitering munitions, small USVs, small/micro UUVs, divers, and suspicious underwater devices. First, the types of maritime unmanned systems, layered operational scenarios, and mission-chain pressure on traditional ship formation protection systems are analyzed. Then, key technologies are reviewed from four aspects: reconnaissance and early warning, jamming and deception, strike and neutralization, and terminal damage protection, including multi-domain cooperative sensing, communication and navigation suppression, electromagnetic spectrum confrontation, multimodal deception, layered strike, strike-effect assessment, and platform mission sustainment. Finally, a mission-chain-oriented maritime multi-domain C-UxS protection framework based on reconnaissance, jamming, strike, and protection is proposed, and future trends are discussed in cross-domain integration, soft-hard kill coordination, cost-effectiveness balance, damage assessment, and system-level validation.}
}