US Navy has its first giant robotic submarine

Boeing has delivered a large robotic submarine to the US Navy following a series of sea trials, the company and service announced on December 20.

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, Defense One reports.

While the Navy hasn’t disclosed the exact specifications of the submarine, it’s based on Boeing’s Echo Voyager, a 51-foot-long, 8.5-foot-wide, non-militarized prototype. It can be equipped with payload modules of up to 34 feet, bringing its full length to about 85 feet—about one-quarter as long as the Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarines.

Orca “can perform long duration critical missions to achieve undersea maritime dominance in changing environments and contested waters,” Boeing said in a statement. The company bills the robot sub as “the most advanced and capable UUV in the world.”

Like an unmanned, underwater littoral combat ship, the sub is designed to carry various payload modules that can be swapped out for different missions.

“Configured to accommodate various payloads, the Orca XLUUV 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 in a statement.