Boeing has delivered a large robotic submarine to the U.S. Navy following a series of sea trials. Called Orca, the diesel-electric Extra-Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle, or XLUUV, will be used for tests that help the Navy round out concepts for uncrewed submarines and surface vessels. It’s based on Boeing’s Echo Voyager prototype and can be equipped with payload modules of up to 34 feet, bringing its full length to about 85 feet. This UUV allows for the seamless integration of sensors, communication systems, and other mission-specific components, adapting to the evolving requirements of naval operations, the Navy said.
The Navy has designated the first Orca as Test Asset System, or XLE0. Lessons learned from XLE0’s testing will be applied to Orca XLUUV 1 through 5, which will be built and delivered to the Navy in the future. The crewless Orca submarine is designed to remain at sea for months at a time in open, congested and contested waters with little-to-no human intervention, according to Boeing. Pentagon officials have talked about how large robotic submarines could help the U.S. military increase its capabilities, especially in the Pacific region and against China’s military build-up. Earlier this year, the service canceled an effort to field robotic submarines that were smaller than Orca. In 2017, Boeing teamed with shipbuilding stalwart HII to build Orca.
