Mariah Pulver of Northrop Grumman tells readers that the company has designed, built, and, earlier this year, tested Manta Ray, a full-scale UUV that will voyage to the depths of the ocean on extended missions. She writes:
It started with a challenge – how could we help the U.S. military conduct extended undersea missions?
In 2020, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) released a request for proposals on a new class of uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV). Their request sought to advance capabilities in energy management, efficiency, power, fueling and more for long-range and long-duration missions.
Undersea missions can be very difficult, with challenges like high pressure, low temperatures, spotty communications and power supply for long missions, especially when operating far from port. What we needed was an advanced UUV that was bigger, more efficient and autonomous, or able to act independently without human supervision. […]
Critical Payloads
The U.S. Navy defines XLUUVs as vehicles that are too large to launch off a ship or submarine; instead, they are launched from a pier.
Manta Ray’s extra-large size provides endurance, with more room for power systems, and the ability to carry critical payloads or sensors for a variety of long-range, long-duration missions.
Conducting Missions Worldwide
How do you ship a UUV of this size around the world for missions? You split it up.
Most large undersea vehicles, like submarines, are so big when fully assembled that they can’t be put on a truck or ship to transport. Our engineers designed Manta Ray with these considerations in mind. Thanks to its modular design, Manta Ray can be separated into parts for easy shipping. Then, it can be assembled in-field.
With missions around the world, the U.S. military and our allies must be expeditionary. Manta Ray allows them to bring critical capabilities wherever they are needed.
Operating Autonomously to Keep Our Military Safe
In January 2024, our team in Maryland shipped Manta Ray to Southern California for in-water testing.
During the tests, Manta Ray demonstrated its ability to glide, ascend and descend, turn, hover and anchor. It can do some of these skills autonomously, avoiding the need for on-site human logistics or a human captain.
