Northrop's 'Manta Ray' Drone Spotted
Northrop Grumman’s top-secret "Manta Ray" underwater drone was reportedly spotted at Port Hueneme in Southern California. The sighting highlights LA's leadership role in developing large-scale autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) designed for long-duration missions.
The Manta Ray program, managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), aims to create a new class of long-duration, long-range, and payload-capable unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Northrop Grumman and PacMar Technologies were selected as performers for the program, which began in 2020. The recent tests off the coast of Southern California in February and March 2024 demonstrated the vehicle's hydrodynamic performance and control. A key design feature of the Manta Ray is its modularity, allowing it to be shipped in subsections and assembled in the field. This approach simplifies transportation and deployment for this extra-large UUV. Satellite imagery from November 2023 and April 2024 at Port Hueneme suggests the vehicle has a wingspan of approximately 45 feet and a length of 33 feet. To achieve long-duration missions without human intervention, the Manta Ray incorporates novel energy management techniques. This includes the ability to anchor to the seabed and enter a low-power hibernation mode. The program is also developing undersea energy harvesting technologies, with PacMar Technologies continuing to test a full-scale system in 2024. The drone's bio-inspired design mimics the gliding motion of a manta ray, enhancing its energy efficiency and stealth capabilities. It utilizes buoyancy changes, propellers, and control surfaces for navigation and submerged operations. This multi-modal propulsion system is crucial for its autonomous operations in dynamic maritime environments. Naval Base Ventura County at Port Hueneme is a key hub for testing and developing unmanned maritime systems. The Navy has been establishing purpose-built facilities there to support the testing and evaluation of prototypes like the Manta Ray and Boeing's Orca XLUUV. The Manta Ray's autonomous capabilities are central to its design, enabling it to execute mission parameters without direct human control. Its payload bays are designed to be mission-agnostic, allowing for a variety of potential applications from intelligence gathering to mine-hunting. The vehicle is a significant step towards the Navy's goal of a hybrid fleet combining manned and unmanned platforms.
