Boeing delivered the first Orca ultra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) to the United States, as reported by the Defense Log website on December 20, 2023. The Killer Whale's technology derives from Boeing's Echo Navigator unmanned underwater vehicle, designed and developed in 2012, which has been flying more than 10,000 hours.
The whole "killer whale" project was not all smooth sailing. The completion time of the project has been extended by three years, and the development cost has exceeded $240 million. But the U.S. Navy views the Killer Whale as a multi-purpose underwater platform that it attempts to use for tasks such as underwater surveillance, electronic warfare, anti-mine and seabed mapping. Consideration is also being given to integrating cruise missiles, torpedoes and other equipment into platforms such as the Killer Whale.
Other unmanned underwater vehicle dynamics
L3 Harris has partnered with Voyis and Wavefront to integrate two new sets of sensors for L3 Harris' Iver4-900 unmanned underwater vehicle, as reported by the Defense Log website on December 13, 2023.
The Voyis "Recon" LS system consists of a laser scanner and a 4K imaging system.
Wavefront's Solstice 3000 multiple-aperture sonar (MAS) can enhance the Iver4-900's ability to detect, identify, and classify underwater targets such as mines.
With the addition of these two systems, the Iver 4-900 can perform search and rescue, surveillance, mine counter and submarine detection missions, improving its efficiency and reliability in defense missions.
Saab has received a contract from the U.S. Navy to provide the Kuwaiti Navy with a Semi-Autonomous Remotely Operated Vehicle (SAROV) valued at $16 million, as reported on Saab's official website, defense logbook, and defense news website in December 2023.
The Double Eagle can be used on surface ships or deployed ashore. The reason why the U.S. Navy procured it to Kuwait is because it is part of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Submission email: [email protected]