Northrop Grumman press release
A new class of UUV, it is an extra-large glider that will operate long-duration, long-range and payload-capable undersea missions without need for on-site human logistics.
Manta Ray was built through a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program aimed at advancing key technologies to benefit future UUV designs, including techniques to manage energy, increased payload capacity, low-power propulsion and more.
About Manta Ray UUV
Manta Ray is a multi-phase effort that includes the at-sea demonstration of critical technologies. The program uses a disciplined systems engineering approach to define demonstration system objectives and identify enabling technologies for future systems.
The Manta Ray program seeks to demonstrate critical technologies for a new class of long duration, long range, payload-capable UUVs. If successful, this new class of UUV will give the combatant commander an amplification of capacity without disrupting current operations by remaining independent of manned vessels and ports once deployed.
The Manta Ray program plans to advance key technologies that will benefit future UUV designs, including, but not limited to:
- Novel energy management techniques for UUV operations and undersea energy harvesting techniques at operationally relevant depths;
- Low-power, high efficiency undersea propulsion systems;
- New low-power means of underwater detection and classification of hazards or counter detection threats;
- Mission management approaches for extended durations while accounting for dynamic maritime environments;
- Unique approaches for leveraging existing maritime data sets and exploiting novel maritime parameters for high-efficiency navigation and/or C3; and
- New approaches to mitigate biofouling, corrosion, and other material degradation for long duration missions.
