"As the threat from small fast craft increases, navies are looking at how remotely operated or fully autonomous small-calibre weapon systems can improve their defensive anti-surface warfare capability. The attack on the US Navy (USN) DDG 51 destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) in the port of Aden, Yemen, in October 2000 has, in many senses, become a defining moment for naval force protection. But in fact, the USN in the late 1980's/early 1990's first identified the small-boat threat during operations in the Gulf at the time of the Iran-Iraq war. The term fast inshore attack craft (FIAC) has subsequently been applied to small fast craft - such as powerboats, interceptors, rigid inflatables and jet-skis - variously equipped with heavy machine guns, short-range missiles, rockets and rocket propelled grenades. Approaching in 'swarms' they may not have the ability to sink a major warship, but they could interfere with ship operations, distract from the pursuit of primary missions and, most significantly, damage ship sensors and thereby effectively disable an expensive surface asset."