(LibertySociety.com) – Eagle-eyed internet users located a top-secret US military vessel, Manta Ray, on Google Maps. The now-publicly available photos show a futuristic vessel with state-of-the-art capabilities docked at the Naval base at Port Hueneme in California.
Earlier this year, the vessel made headlines after its successful testing in the waters of South California, which also sent shockwaves in Russia and China due to the ongoing race to develop underwater warring equipment.
The vessel was manufactured by Northrop Grumman in collaboration with the US Navy as part of the efforts to increase the number of American unmanned military vessels with the capability of lurking in deep water for both surveillance and offense purposes. The production is part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Manta Ray program launched in 2020.
According to the DARPA program manager, Dr. Kyle Woerner, the vessel possesses the ability to go in the hibernate mode underwater for extremely long times without any need for refueling. Woerner also noted that the submarine can be transported to the intended area without using unnecessary fuel, which otherwise increases the operational costs of such equipment. He further added that Manta Ray demonstrated advanced abilities that show its readiness to be deployed in important real-world operations.
The specific details about the operational capabilities of the vessel remain unknown for security reasons.
Meanwhile, the release of the photos brought the highly sensitive vessel to the spotlight, which urged Google Maps to remove the photos from its platform and replace them with the boats.
The military vessel is named after the distinguished sea creature Manta Ray, which can remain underwater for a long time and is known for its intelligence.
After the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the United States felt the urgency to make advanced underwater vessels, which forced the Pentagon to fast-track its development. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly indicated that he will continue developing highly sophisticated weapons to “protect” Russia from underwater threats.
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