Orca (XLUUV)
Introduced by the United States in 2023, the Orca is an autonomous undersea vessel featuring a modular payload bay designed for long-range mine countermeasures.
| Subtype | Extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle |
| Length | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) |
| Propulsion | Hybrid diesel/lithium-ion battery, diesel generators recharging while surfaced |
| Range | 6500 km at 3 knots |
| Maximum speed | 8 knots |
Description
The Orca is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) under development by Boeing and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) for the United States Navy. The project began in September 2017 when the Navy issued contracts to Lockheed Martin and the Boeing/HII partnership to develop competing designs for an extra-large unmanned undersea vehicle (XLUUV). In February 2019, the Navy contracted the Boeing/HII consortium to build four vehicles based on Boeing's Echo Voyager AUV. The Navy ordered a fifth vehicle in March 2019. Deliveries were originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2022. The Navy took delivery of the first Orca in December 2023.
The Orca design is based on the Echo Voyager but incorporates a more modular construction. This configuration allows for the addition of a payload module to support different mission requirements. The Navy requires the platform to support surveillance, submerged combat, surface combat, electronic combat, and minesweeping operations. Propulsion relies on a hybrid diesel and lithium-ion battery system. The vessel runs on battery power while submerged and recharges its batteries using diesel generators when surfaced.