The prototype of the unmanned underwater vehicle Manta Ray (UUV) built by Northrop Grumman completed large-scale water testing off the southern California coast in February and March 2024.
The tests demonstrated hydrodynamic performance at sea, including underwater operations using all vehicle propulsion and steering modes: buoyancy, propellers, and control surfaces.
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“Our successful large-scale testing of Manta Ray validates the vehicle’s readiness to move toward real-world operations after being rapidly assembled in the field from modular subsections,” said Dr. Kyle Woerner, program manager of the DARPA Manta Ray program. “The combination of modular transport across countries, field assembly, and subsequent deployment demonstrates an unprecedented capability for an extra-large UUV.”
Northrop Grumman shipped the Manta Ray prototype in subsections from the construction site in Maryland to its testing site in California. The demonstrated ease of transport and assembly supports the possibility of rapid deployment worldwide without occupying valuable pier space at naval facilities.
“Shipping the vehicle directly to the intended operating area conserves energy that the vehicle would otherwise expend during transit,” Woerner said. “Once deployed, the vehicle utilizes efficient slip and buoyancy-driven propulsion to move through the water. The craft is designed with multiple payload compartments of various sizes and types to enable a wide range of naval mission sets.”
Manta Ray aims to develop and demonstrate a new class of long-duration, long-range, and payload-capable UUVs ready for persistent operations in dynamic maritime environments. DARPA is engaging with the US Navy on next steps for testing and transitioning this technology.
Source and images: Darpa. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
