UK Royal Navy unveils futuristic ray-shaped submarine concept.

The Royal Navy has unveiled a series of futuristic submarine concepts which mimic real marine lifeforms and radically change the way underwater warfare could look in 50 years.

A computer-generated concept design of the "Mothership" (Picture source: UK MoD)

The whale shark/manta ray-shaped mothership would be built from super-strong alloys and acrylics, with surfaces which can morph in shape. With hybrid algae-electric cruising power and propulsion technologies including tunnel drives which work similarly to a Dyson bladeless fan, the submarine could travel at unprecedented speeds of up to 150 knots.

Role: Act as a major command and control hub, information collector and disseminator, weapon carrier, and underwater flagship.

Build: Its 3D-printed hull would be a combination of light but strong acrylic materials bonded to super-strong alloys capable of withstanding the extreme pressure of depths of 1000m or more.

Sound: Anechoic coatings, which deaden sound and reduce enemy submarines' sonar returns, would be created with nanometer-thin graphene scales which would be layered to create an outer skin. The scales would be bonded together with a piezoelectric material allowing dynamic control of the scales. This would allow real-time alignment of the scales to reduce drag in transit and absorb sound during silent operations.

Crew: Reduced crew of around 20 people, capable of brain-computer control of the submarine's command system.

Weapons and sensors: Advanced multi-spectral, low power, active and passive sensors moulded into its hull to help hunt for enemy vessels. A recovery bay in the underside would act as a docking station for the transfer of people, weapons payloads and general stores, and weapons bays integrated into the top of the submarine.