The new frontier for drone warfare is deep underwater
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Drones have revolutionized modern warfare in the sky. Now defense companies and navies are betting they can do the same underwater.
The new underwater drones, with names such as Ghost Shark, Herne and Manta Ray, can typically dive thousands of feet below the surface and operate largely without human interaction for days on end. That ability makes them ideally suited to gather intelligence, protect undersea infrastructure and counter potential threats in the Pacific, advocates say. “This is an opportune moment for these vehicles," said Cynthia Cook, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank.
“Submarines are fantastic, but they are expensive." Perfecting the technology isn’t an easy swim. Maintaining communications deep underwater is more difficult than in the sky, and conditions below the sea’s surface can be harsh. Underwater drones have been used by academics and offshore energy companies for decades.
An underwater drone found Titanic in 1985, for example. Navies have also long used smaller—typically remote-controlled—underwater vessels for mine clearance and other tasks. Now, defense companies are developing larger, more autonomous vessels that can travel longer distances and do more.
Boeing is set to deliver five of its Orca extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicles to the U.S. Navy by the end of next year. Up to 85 feet long, the Orca can travel the equivalent of almost 7,500 miles with little human intervention.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, has said developing robotic and autonomous systems is one of the U.S. Navy’s top priorities in preparing for a possible war with China.
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