Giant underwater US drone pictured in satellite images

(NewsNation) — You can see a lot on Google Maps, including a satellite image of what appears to be the U.S. military’s prototype uncrewed submarine.

Dubbed the “Manta Ray” because of its shape, the image of an underwater drone at a naval base near Los Angeles has garnered attention in recent days.

Northrop Grumman, the drone’s builder, released photos of Manta Ray earlier this year, but the satellite images provide the first look at the drone’s sheer size.

The Manta Ray project has been underway within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) since 2020.

DARPA isn’t commenting on the Google image or saying much about the recent testing in Southern California, which they deemed a success.

Recently released videos and images show the Manta Ray prototype in the waters off Southern California.

The vehicle is said to use “buoyancy-driven gliding” to move through the water. It’s capable of traveling long distances at great speed and anchoring to the sea floor to hibernate until needed.

Unlike a sub, Manta Ray is modular, so it can be disassembled quickly for transport and launched from anywhere without travel time by sea.

The technology is all part of what some call “sea drone warfare” — something America’s biggest adversaries are also plotting for.

Future battles are largely expected to involve uncrewed AI-enabled drones both in the skies and deep underwater.

DARPA is now working with the Navy on the next steps in testing and use in full-scale operations.

Russia claims to have a nuclear-armed prototype drone sub, but some doubt its existence.

It’s also suspected that China is mass-producing uncrewed drones to create a so-called “great wall” underwater in the South China Sea.