PREVIEW

Defence contractor and international arms dealer Northrop Grumman has released a photo of its sleek underground drone called the Manta Ray, which closely resembles its oceanic namesake.

The "full-size uncrewed underwater vehicle" (UUV) prototype, which was developed under a 2020 contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), appears to be a sleek and low-profile underwater glider.

The vehicle is capable of autonomous operation, entering enemy waters independently, according to Northrop Grumman. It can also anchor itself to the ocean floor to conserve energy and reactivate as required.

The company describes the Manta Ray as an "extra-large glider" designed for prolonged and distant undersea missions that do not require human support on-site.

DARPA aims to enhance the capabilities of military commanders by allowing the Manta Ray to operate independently from manned ships and ports once deployed, as stated on its website.

Alan Lytle, Northrop's VP of Strategy and Mission Solutions highlighted in a 2022 statement that the Manta Ray is pivotal for subsea warfare and aligns with the Department of Defense’s Joint All Domain Command and Control strategy by enhancing payload delivery capabilities from the sea.

DARPA's website also notes the agency's interest in deploying the Manta Ray for tasks like underwater hazard detection and threat counter-detection.

The National Interest suggests that the Manta Ray might serve purposes similar to those of the US Navy's Orca extra-large UUV being developed by Boeing, including undersea mapping, mine detection, and passive surveillance.