Northrop Grumman Debuts Undetectable Military Drone Submarine

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Designs have been unveiled for an underwater drone that can enter enemy waters without being detected. The Manta Ray Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) developed by aerospace and defence tech company Northrop Grumman is designed for assignments that call for long hours and extended ranges to minimize human involvement. The Virginia-based defence contractor shared a photo of the vehicle on April 8, the first day of the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space conference in Maryland. The image shows the vehicle's glider-like body with a rounded nose. The Manta Ray program began in 2020 by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa). The goal was to create a large underwater drone that could be used independently of vessels manned by humans. Darpa later collaborated with Northrop and PacMar Technologies to design early versions of the drone. The agency also noted interest in using the Manta Ray for tasks such as underwater hazard detection and threat counter-detection.

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