Boeing’ s Orca XLUUV autonomous submarine can perform long-term missions without human intervention
The Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) is an autonomous submarine developed by Boeing for the US Navy. The Orca XLUUV is designed to perform long-term missions with minimal human intervention. Orca is about 26 meters long with a payload module and displaces about 85 tons. Its diesel-electric propulsion system provides an impressive range of up to 6,500 nautical miles, allowing for extensive underwater missions over long periods of time. A key feature of Orca is its modular payload bay, which is about 10 meters long and can accommodate up to 8 tons of different mission-specific payloads. The modularity allows Orca to be equipped for a variety of missions, including mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, and strike missions. The ability to customize the payload makes Orca highly adaptable to changing mission requirements. 
The first Orca XLUUV, designated XLE0, was delivered to the US Navy in December 2023. This prototype is undergoing extensive testing to verify its capabilities and performance. The tests include evaluating the vehicle’ s control, propulsion, autonomous navigation, and mission capabilities. The US Navy plans to conduct 16 test periods to ensure that the vehicle meets all operational requirements before it is deployed in real-world conditions. The US Navy will receive five Orca prototypes, with deliveries scheduled for 2024 and 2025 . The program is aimed at expanding the Navy’s unmanned submarine fleet, improving its ability to conduct operations with minimal risk to personnel.
