DARPA has released photos of the experimental “Manta Ray” autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) being developed by Northrop Grumman for “long-duration, long-range and payload-capable undersea missions without need for on-site human logistics.”
According to DARPA, the Manta Ray has the ability to “anchor to the seafloor and hibernate in a low-power state,” marking a major step in autonomous deep sea operations.
While exact capabilities remain unknown, one could speculate that the system will be tailored towards deep sea ISR and anti-submarine warfare.
Manta Ray #UUV prototype completes full-scale, in-water testing off the coast of SoCal. DARPA program exhibits modular, first-of-kind capability for an extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle. Built by @northropgrumman. https://t.co/BIDfh3cZCD pic.twitter.com/t6dqWB3i33
— DARPA (@DARPA) May 1, 2024
