OSINT: The classified Underwater Drone Manta Ray Spotted on Google Maps..

A visible object on Google Maps appears to be the new U.S. military's underwater drone known as Manta Ray, located at the Naval Base Port Hueneme in California. The unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), shaped like the marine creature it is named after, is part of a new program by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Defense. The prototype is among a set of UUVs designed by the agency for various Navy purposes.
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Gmaps view of Manta ray UUV based in california, NS 34°9'13.304" W 119°12'31.185"  (Picture source: Army recognition)

A visible object on Google Maps appears to be the new U.S. military's underwater drone known as Manta Ray, located at the Naval Base Port Hueneme in California. The unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), shaped like the marine creature it is named after, is part of a new program by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Defense. The prototype is among a set of UUVs designed by the agency for various Navy purposes.

The aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman designed the vehicle with the capability to glide over water without requiring humans inside. In a press release last month, the agency stated that the extra-large UUV would further develop "a new class of long-endurance, long-range UUVs capable of carrying a payload, ready for persistent operations in dynamic marine environments."

A geoINT (geospatial intelligence) analysis indicates that a similar object is located at the Hueneme base in California, near a dismantling ship graveyard. The device is located at coordinates 34.15369565222693, -119.20866258406318, NS 34°9'13.304" W 119°12'31.185".

Manta Ray successfully tested earlier this year

Between February and March, the Manta Ray successfully conducted large-scale tests off the coast of Southern California. Northrup Grumman shared photos of the prototype slightly submerged at the surface.

The test utilized the vehicle's propellers, rudders, and its ability to float in water, all necessary for propulsion and steering functions, the agency indicated.

"Our successful and large-scale tests of the Manta Ray validate the vehicle's readiness to move towards real operations after being rapidly assembled in the field from modular subsections," said the agency's program manager, Kyle Woerner, in a statement. "The combination of modular transport across the country, field assembly, and subsequent deployment demonstrates a unique capability for an extra-large UUV."

The agency stated that it is working with the Navy to evaluate what the next testing steps for the vehicle are and the future implications of the technology.

The Manta Ray prototype was built in Maryland and then shipped to California in subsections to be tested, according to the development agency.

The ease of shipping and assembly of the vehicle suggests that rapid global deployment can be achieved without encumbering the dock space at naval facilities, the agency indicated.

Shipping the vehicle directly to its intended operational area saves the energy that the vehicle would otherwise expend during transport, Woerner said.

The Honolulu-based engineering group, PacMar Technologies, is also conducting Manta Ray tests with its own vehicle, which is part of a "new class of long-endurance and long-range autonomous underwater vehicles," the agency noted in a 2023 press release.

In 2024, the company will continue to test underwater its low-consumption and high-efficiency mode.