The first unmanned submarine Orca has appeared in the US Navy (video)
Boeing has delivered the first unmanned submarine Orca to the United States Navy.
The news is published on the company’s official website.
This month, the first unmanned Orca submarine, also known as XLUUV (Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle), was delivered to the US Navy after completing acceptance tests.
In partnership with the Navy, Orca has undergone several stages of testing at sea, including maneuvers in the surface and underwater.
Sea trials of the unmanned submarine Orca (July 2023):
Check out our first released video of Orca XLUUV in-sea testing — with a dolphin pod cameo. 🐬
The @USNavy Orca XLUUV’s full, advanced #autonomy allows the vehicle to operate for months at a time in open, congested and contested waters with little-to-no human intervention. pic.twitter.com/NfELRMteBe
— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) July 18, 2023
Orca is an autonomous unmanned submarine designed for long-term operations in difficult conditions.
The development of the unmanned platform began in 2017, when the U.S. Navy signed a development contract with Boeing. Later, the shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries joined the project.
The US Navy has allocated $43 million for the project, subject to the production of four prototypes. In March 2019, the fifth Orca submarine was ordered.
The submarine, weighing 80 tons and 26 meters long, is designed as a modular structure for easier adaptation to different types of tasks.
The drone’s propulsion system is a hybrid diesel-electric power plant combined with lithium-ion batteries. This combination should allow the submarine to stay at sea for months on end, moving at a speed of about 3 knots (5 km/h).
A module for placing payloads can be installed in the stern of the boat. The payload section is 10 meters long and can accommodate cargo weighing up to eight tons. First of all, it is assumed that the department will be used for placing sea mines.
The Navy also wants to equip the unmanned platform with other modules for demining, electronic warfare, and underwater surveillance operations. Future payloads are expected to include a synthetic aperture sonar that will allow Orca to map the ocean floor.
In addition, the Navy is also interested in integrating weapons systems into the drone, including torpedoes, cruise missiles, and even aerial drones.
