
Recent unveilings of advanced undersea drones by the United States and Australia indicate a significant shift in naval warfare, potentially altering the strategic landscape in the Pacific region.

James Patton Rogers, a drone warfare expert and executive director of the Cornell Brooks School Tech Policy Institute in New York said while the Ghost Shark and Manta Ray look different, they are both part of a new XL class of unmanned vehicles that will be used for a variety of missions.

“For the US, the Manta Ray could used globally. With its ability to be packed up and moved quickly, and its capacity to hibernate for long periods at the bottom of the ocean, it could be sent anywhere and pre-deployed ready for activation when needed.

The U.S. Manta Ray and the Australian Ghost Shark, two sophisticated prototype uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUV), have been developed with the capability to operate autonomously, carrying out long-duration missions involving intelligence gathering, surveillance, and strike operations while submerged.

The American Manta Ray, developed by Northrop Grumman, recently completed in-water testing off the Southern California coast.

Per DARPA’s website, the agency is also looking to have the Manta Ray available for “underwater detection and classification of hazards or counter detection threats.” In other words, it could presumably be set up with things like radio jammers to take out adversary detection systems.

According to DARPA’s Manta Ray Program Manager Dr. Kyle Woerner, “Our successful, full-scale Manta Ray testing validates the vehicle’s readiness to advance toward real-world operations after being rapidly assembled in the field from modular subsections.”

Dr Woerner added: “Once deployed, the vehicle uses efficient, buoyancy-driven gliding to move through the water.

The drone’s modular design allows for it to be shipped in parts and assembled on-site, making it a versatile asset for the U.S. Navy.

But when Australia unveiled Ghost Shark last month, it called the prototypes “the most advanced undersea autonomous vehicles in the world.”

Emma Salisbury, a fellow at the British think tank Council on Geostrategy, said the Ghost Shark seems much like the Orca extra-large UUV being developed in the US.

Billed as “a modular, multi-purpose capability that can flexibly respond”, the Ghost Shark is seen as a crucial tool for protecting Australia, according to Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond.

He said: “We are a nation girt by sea, and the Ghost Shark is one of the tools we are developing for the navy to patrol and protect our oceans and our connection to the world.”

In addition to the U.S. and Australia, China has been actively developing its own UUV capabilities, with defense exports company Poly Technology unveiling the UUV-300 family of extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles.

The Ghost Shark programme launched in the middle of 2022 and is expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.
Relevant articles:
– Advanced undersea drones unveiled in Pacific raise fears of ‘less human control’, inews.co.uk
– Australia and US unveil undersea drones Ghost Shark and Manta Ray, CNN
– Northrop Grumman Shows Off Terrifying Military Drone Submarine, Yahoo Lifestyle Canada
– Navy eyeing new tech to help kill underwater drones and enemy divers, DefenseScoop