US Navy’s Orca programme concludes design reviews
The US Navy’s Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) programme recently cleared a key milestone and is poised to pass another one in a few months, according to a service official.
Critical design reviews (CDRs) with the programme’s two competing vendors, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, concluded ‘in the last two weeks,’ said CAPT Pete Small, the US Navy’s program manager for unmanned maritime systems.
In early spring the navy intends to award up to two fabrication contracts to build a total of up to five vehicles.
‘I’m optimistic about the programme,’ Small said at the recently held Naval Submarine
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Canada’s selection of TKMS for its new patrol submarines reflects rising Arctic competition
The decision points to deepening NATO cooperation and mounting competition in the Arctic and North Atlantic, as Canada opts for a European-designed solution despite interest from South Korea.
-
UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare
With a revised Defence Investment Plan on the way ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit on 7-8 July, the UK government has begun to reveal more details of how its future naval fleet could look.
-
Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress
Lawmakers question the US Navy’s proposed $2 billion investment in the Trump-class battleship as concerns over cost, technology maturity and operational relevance fuel growing bipartisan scrutiny on Capitol Hill.