This is the Orca XLUUV, the U.S. mega-submarine drone that can navigate entire oceans without a crew
The drone has the ability to travel over 7,000 miles underwater autonomously.
The United States is developing one of the world’s most advanced unmanned underwater vehicles, the Orca XLUUV, a massive 26-metre underwater drone capable of travelling more than 7,000 miles without a crew. The project, designed by Boeing and Huntington Ingalls Industries for the US Navy, aims to expand naval capabilities on missions lasting several months.
The Orca is built to operate autonomously for extended periods using a hybrid propulsion system. Lithium batteries power the vehicle and are recharged by diesel generators when it surfaces. Its estimated range of over 7,000 miles places it far beyond traditional unmanned underwater vehicles.
This giant drone is part of a new generation of very large unmanned underwater vehicles designed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions without putting human crews at risk. The Orca has a payload capacity of up to eight tonnes and can integrate a variety of equipment and sensors depending on mission requirements. It also features a Kalman-filtered inertial navigation unit supported by Doppler velocity measurements.
“Orca is suited for deep-sea warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, persistent presence and expeditionary support, enabling an almost unlimited spectrum of payloads and missions,” Boeing’s website states.
“Designed for launching and retrieval from the dock without a dedicated support vessel, increasing deployment flexibility and reducing logistical burden,” the manufacturer states.
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