Posted on 10/06/2017 4:04:01 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
Defense giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin have won contracts to develop a new, large submersible capable of tackling a wide number of underwater missions. The goal is to develop a technical data package that will result in one company producing the Orca Extra-Large Unmanned Underwater vehicle (XLUUV).
The XLUUV program is designed to create a long haul, long distance unmanned submarine with the capability to take on a variety of payloads, from sensors to weapons. In January 2017, DefenseNews reported that XLUUV would have a payload bay of at least 325 cubic feet.
Unlike most current UUVs, which have to launch from the side of a ship or submarine, the Orca will have the range to travel from a friendly pier to a conflict zone, do its business, and return home. It will operate autonomously for weeks or even months, periodically phoning home to check for for new orders. A Navy captain involved with the XLUUV program was quoted by DefenseNews as assigning a range of at least 2,000 nautical miles to the unmanned submarine. That's far enough to go from the Philippines to Shanghai, or Hong Kong, and back.
The Orca's size, range and payload ability will give it incredible versatility.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
cool
Did CyberDyne put in a bid?
Between robotics and AI, it seems there will be little need to recruit many men in the armed forces in the not-to-distant future.
“Between robotics and AI, it seems there will be little need to recruit many men in the armed forces in the not-to-distant future”
Although 13 year olds with joystick talent will be in short supply.
Ah, reminds me of The Last Starfighter.
How do they communicate with it when it is deeply submerged?
Will there be yoga classes for the submarinesses?
If it blows up in Shanghai, does it need to come home
Dont worry about AI
It will never become self aware and consider itself superior to mankind...
So lets give it WMD
That's a small enclosed trailer towed behind a pickup.
Equifax is bidding to supply a software security package for this Underwared Nuclear Missle Deployment Platform (UNMDP).
I saw that and thought ... 4’x9’x9’ ?!
It carries a double pallet worth of stuff and will be available for under 1 billion (I hope).
Better be some really cool stuff...
Regular / scheduled surfacing... or a towed array anteanna?
Don’t bet on thar. Hacking will change all of that.
I never thought of that. Good point.
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