Manta Ray
An extra-large underwater technology demonstrator exploring long-duration autonomous operations.
- Country / region
- United States
- Programme status
- Development / trials
- Sources reviewed
- 20 Sept 2026
- Primary domain
- Underwater
- System type
- Autonomous underwater vehicle
- Developer / manufacturer
- Northrop Grumman for DARPA
- Origin / production countries
- United States
- Other names
- DARPA Manta Ray
- Variants / configurations
- Named configuration; see the evidence and specification notes
- Operators / programme customers
- DARPA / Northrop Grumman test programme
Evidence & current status
Research and demonstrator status only. The separate PacMar technology effort under the same DARPA programme is not conflated with Northrop Grumman's vehicle.
Role & capabilities
- Long-duration autonomy research
- Modular expeditionary transport
- Payload accommodation trials
Specifications in context
- Configuration
- Extra-large autonomous underwater demonstrator
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Hull / propulsion
- Buoyancy gliding, propellers and control surfaces
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Dimensions
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Displacement / mass
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Payload
- Multiple payload bays; public mass allowance not established
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Endurance
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Range
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Speed
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Operating depth
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Sensors
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Communications / control
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Launch / deployment
- Modular transport in five standard shipping containers, followed by local assembly
Transport arrangement, not a claim that deployment needs no support equipment.
Source ↗