Undersea drone that can ride on ships and subs and launch torpedoes unveiled
US defense company Lockheed Martin has unveiled the Lamprey multi-mission autonomous undersea vehicle (MMAUV), a ‘plug-and-play’ submersible that can hitch a ride on ships or submarines.
As informed, LampreyMMAUV can perform a wide range of missions, including delivering undersea and air kinetic and non-kinetic effects; performing intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, targeting, and multi-intelligence collection; and deploying equipment to the seafloor.
It can arrive on scene with a fully charged battery and, using built-in hydrogenators, recharge before beginning operational missions.
Main characteristics include:
- Mimicking nature – the vehicle attaches onto a host surface ship or submarine – no host modifications needed – once attached, it recharges batteries with built‑in hydrogenators.
- Dual‑mode mission set – LampreyMMAUV can execute assured access (stealthy intelligence, persistent surveillance, precision strike) or sea denial (electronic disruption, decoy deployment, kinetic attack), giving commanders a single platform that flips the maritime balance of power.
The drone has a large, 24-cubic-foot internal payload bay that can carry torpedoes, decoys, sensors or UAVs.
When fitted with optional launch tubes, the MMAUV can maneuver into contested areas to deploy short-range surveillance or strike UAVs. Furthermore, the vehicle can confuse and disrupt enemy sensors by creating virtual decoys, drawing adversaries off-target and enhancing operational security.
“The modern battlespace demands platforms that hide, adapt and dominate,” said Paul Lemmo, vice president and general manager of Sensors, Effectors & Mission Systems at Lockheed Martin.
“LampreyMMAUV was internally funded, letting us iterate at lightning speed and hand the Navy a true multi mission weapon that detects, disrupts, decoys and engages on its own.”
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