A top-secret US submarine prototype weapon known as “Manta Ray” has been noticed by eagle-eyed Google Maps customers and stays plainly seen to the web public.
Satellite tv for pc pictures displaying the “Star Wars”-looking vessel docked at Port Hueneme naval base in California went viral Sunday, its unmistakable profile standing out like a sore thumb in distinction to its dockmates.
The sleek-looking autonomous vessel was named after the ocean creature for its slick design and its skill to anchor itself deep underwater whereas working in low-power mode.
Produced by Northrop Grumman as a part of a US Navy venture to develop long-range underwater weapons, Manta Ray is a subtle underwater drone able to hibernating on the ocean flooring for “very lengthy durations” with out refueling.
It makes use of “environment friendly, buoyancy-driven gliding to maneuver by the water,” Dr. Kyle Woerner, Manta Ray program supervisor on the Protection Superior Analysis Tasks Company, mentioned in an company information launch.
“Our profitable, full-scale Manta Ray testing validates the car’s readiness to advance towards real-world operations,” Woerner added.
“The craft is designed with a number of payload bays of a number of sizes and kinds to allow all kinds of naval mission units.”
Its modular design permits it to be disassembled and transported in unusual delivery containers, eliminating the need for devoted port amenities.
The Navy spent greater than three months testing the craft off the coast of Southern California, the Telegraph reported.
Protection analysts suspect the Navy’s push to develop drone expertise is meant as a strategic counter to Russian and Chinese language submarine operations, the outlet mentioned.
Russians have been growing underwater drones of their very own, and final 12 months introduced plans to amass practically three dozen such vessels.
The US adversary claims its drone has a variety of about 6,200 miles, may be armed with nukes and might attain speeds of as much as 100 knots — or about 115 mph.
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