A new underwater drone shaped like a manta ray

Not long ago, information about a new underwater drone developed by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Navy appeared in the media that can operate autonomously for long periods of time, and carries an extensive system of sensors and types of weapons.

They have called the drone   Manta Ray   , and it is characterized by its biomimetic design, imitating the shape and movement of manta rays. Its elongated and flat body, with wings on the sides, allows it to glide through the water with great efficiency and maneuverability. This shape also reduces its acoustic signature, making it more difficult to detect by enemy sonars.

And in the world of technology, and especially the military, innovation does not stop for a moment, and there is also a lot of money available, and especially in the USA. We have to consider that the USA spends more on Defense products than the rest of the world combined.

Apparently, one of the main advantages of the Manta Ray is its ability to operate autonomously for long periods of time. This makes it an ideal tool for surveillance, reconnaissance and even attack missions. Thanks to its advanced navigation systems, the Manta Ray can navigate on its own, following predefined routes or adapting to changing environments.

And to make this possible, the drone has a system specially designed to obtain energy from marine currents by converting the movement of water into electricity, and to be able to charge its batteries while remaining operational far from its base.

 A video can be seen at: https://youtu.be/u3s31SUSOrs

In these cases of Defense matters, the most important thing is usually what is not communicated to the public, since the most relevant data about the product is very confidential and some become known after many years.

What is clear is that robots, drones and the AI applied to all of them will form a fundamental part of current and future military development.

But, I don't know when some of them will be allowed to make decisions to kill without human control, because that will be a point of no return.