For nearly 20 years, the U.S. Navy has been working to make stealth technology part of how it operates. One notable example is the Zumwalt-class destroyer, which uses guided missiles for stealth attacks. Now, the destroyer could have some company in the form of the K4 MANTA.
The K4 MANTA is built by the Kraken Technology Group. It acts as an underwater stealth drone and is classified as an USSV — an Uncrewed Surface-Subsurface Vessel.
A promotional video from Kraken Technology details some of the vessel’s attributes, including features like 10 days of autonomous operations, a modular payload bay, and the ability to help carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. With a top speed of 45 knots — a little more than 50 miles per hour — the MANTA has a range of 300 miles.
The MANTA is engineered with an aerodynamic and hydrodynamic hull that can cruise above the surface of open water until it’s time to take cover. That’s when the stealth technology comes in — the K4 MANTA can slip beneath the waves, leaving behind a low acoustic signature and potentially linking up with other pre-staged MANTAS to help with an attack.
The K4 MANTA recently got some real-world work after partnering with the U.S. Special Operations Command for a technical experimentation event. According to a post on Kraken Technology’s Facebook page, the December gathering was successful.
There is no official word from the government on if or when these K4 MANTAS could officially join U.S. naval warfare.
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