Special marine unit unveils Manta Ray drone in California
1:04 PM EDT, June 25, 2024
A special marine unit docked at the Port Hueneme naval base in California. Its public appearance was noted and widely commented on by internet users. Until now, the development of this water drone had been a secret operation, with its design being a closely guarded secret.
The drone was named "Manta Ray" due to its silhouette, which resembles a giant manta ray, and its wing-like fins. Its design is intended to detect underwater threats. Northrop Grumman Corporation engineered it.
The first photos of the mysterious design surfaced on social media in May. The manufacturer claims that in February and March, it completed full-scale tests off the coast of southern California.
"Manta Ray" - a manta ray created by human hands. It is a formidable underwater machine
According to the British "Daily Mail," the aerospace group described its design as an "extra large" glider that will perform long-duration underwater missions. The manufacturer emphasizes that this is the first piece of equipment created using pioneering UUV technology.
The marine drone was built under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program of the United States Department of Defense. Northrop Grumman also revealed that due to the modular design of the machine, the drone can be disassembled and transported in standard shipping containers.
It is also known that in the event of an urgent maritime threat, the unmanned "Manta Ray" can perform extraordinary special operations and can be deployed much faster than traditional submarines.
Until recently, its pioneering design, allowing for prolonged underwater operations, was a secret. Last week, Northrop Grumman revealed more details about its automated submarine "Manta Ray" in several published videos. This material shows the first test dives.
"Manta Ray" is part of a project by the United States Navy. The plan involves developing a new class of underwater drones capable of much longer missions.
The underwater vehicle may be a very formidable and dangerous marine weapon. As the British newspaper notes, Ukrainian forces are effectively using much smaller, cheaper technologies to sink Russian ships.
