Boeing Tests Combat Drone Submarine
American company Boeing, one of the world's largest aerospace and defense corporations, has successfully tested its new project - an unmanned underwater vehicle called Orca XLUUV. The company announced this on Twitter.
For the first time, the drone was tested in open waters, and the company showcased a video demonstrating the operation of this cutting-edge submarine vessel.
Orca XLUUV was developed as the first of its kind unmanned underwater vessel for the United States Navy. However, the company does not exclude its civilian applications, particularly for deep-sea research.
The underwater vessel is equipped with a diesel-electric power system. Its maximum speed will reach 15 km/h, with a practical speed of approximately 7 km/h. Orca XLUUV can cover a distance of up to 10,500 km, enabling missions lasting several months.
The dimensions of Orca XLUUV are also impressive, with a length of 26 meters. The final version of the ship will weigh around 50 tons and can carry up to 8 tons of payload. The modular cargo compartment will have an approximate length of 10 meters.
Boeing claims that Orca XLUUV can operate continuously in open waters for months without human intervention. Depending on the requirements, the unmanned submarine can be equipped with MK48 and MK46 torpedoes. The military will use the drone for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, mine clearance, and the destruction of enemy vessels.
Earlier in July, British scientists successfully tested a quantum navigation system for submarines, allowing them to determine their location without a GPS signal, which is unavailable in deep waters.
Regarding the technical details of the development, little information is available - scientists mention the use of unique properties of atoms. Thanks to this quantum navigation system, ships can orient themselves with greater precision than traditional methods, such as maps, compasses, and widely used satellite navigation. Thus, this development has the potential to provide a new boost to the field of navigation systems.
The first prototype of this system was demonstrated in 2018. Since then, the team of British scientists has been refining the technology and finally managed to test it in field conditions.