Manta Ray UUV
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 a lack of 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.
Northrop Grumman answered the call. The company designed, built, and, in 2024, tested Manta Ray, a full-scale UUV that will voyage to the depths of the ocean on extended missions.
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
Eric Wicklund, former US Navy Operations Specialist, explains on Quora:
‘Drones are the way of the future. DARPA and the US Navy are working on a new UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) called “Manta Ray.”
‘This drone can travel long distances, find a location, and remain on the seabed, waiting for its prey to travel near enough to attack. It’s like a mobile mine… armed with torpedoes.
‘It will use new and unusual ways to harvest energy so that it can stay underwater without having to rise up for a recharge.
‘The first method is called Reversed Electro Dialysis (RED). It uses the difference in electrical charge between the salinity of fresh water and sea water to gain energy. I’m waaay oversimplifying, here).
‘The second method requires a pod called, “Thermal Energy Pod” that sinks to the bottom, and stays there. It uses the temperature difference in layers of water to gain energy, something like a Sterling Engine, I’d say. Manta Ray can make short trips to this pod to recharge without ever having to return to the surface and give away its position.
On the bottom of the Taiwan Strait
‘I’m imagining a bunch of these guys resting on the bottom of the Taiwan Strait, just waiting for “somebody” to make a very foolish mistake.
‘Now wouldn’t that be… “interesting.”’
As of now, we can’t broadcast commands to subs when they’re underwater, which means you have to have as much faith in the AI IFF system to not fire on neutral or friendly subs/ships as you do with manned subs.
But as Wicklund points out, Northrop Grumman is working on the matter;
‘They’re looking at the communications issue.’
Photo by Northrop Grumman
