China is reportedly expanding its fleet of unmanned submersibles designed to perform military reconnaissance missions. These advanced submersibles, resembling manta rays, are poised to upgrade China's naval surveillance and warfare capabilities, the South China Morning Post reports.
The primary developers of these innovative submersibles are researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University in China, led by Professor Cao Yong.
The development project, which began in 2006, initially focused on coral reef monitoring. State broadcaster CCTV has reported on the ambitious plans to expand and upgrade these submersibles for military purposes.
Children extend their hands to touch the image of a manta ray projected from a Sony's 4,096 x 2,160-pixels ultra-high resolution digital movie projector 4K SRX during a press preview at the company's showroom in Tokyo on July 21, 2008. Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP via Getty Images
China's Manta Ray Submersibles
The manta ray submersibles are soft-bodied, autonomous underwater vehicles designed to mimic the swimming patterns of real manta rays.
These submersibles are equipped with advanced technology, including cameras, sonar, and the BeiDou navigation system, allowing them to transfer real-time video and positioning information back to researchers.
These submersibles have been operational in the South China Sea, where they successfully monitored alarming species outbreaks. The team plans to launch larger models this year, with an eye on future military applications.
Shanghai Ocean University unveiled a similar manta ray-shaped intelligent soft-bodied bionic fish used for underwater research last month. With a wingspan of 1 meter and a weight of 35 kilograms, the bionic fish boasts high efficiency, low energy consumption, multiple functions, and high mobility.
Expanding China's Submersible Fleet
The expansion of China's submersible fleet has significant implications for military reconnaissance and naval operations. The larger submersibles, weighing up to 800 kg, are designed to carry more powerful payloads and operate over longer distances.
According to Professor Cao, these advancements will allow the submersibles to undertake integrated reconnaissance and strike roles. Additionally, the submersibles' ability to form clusters could extend their operational range and data collection capabilities, making them a formidable tool in maritime surveillance.
The smaller submersibles have already proven effective in monitoring marine life and coral reefs. Future models will be larger and capable of deeper dives, potentially reaching depths of up to 1,000 meters.
To overcome challenges such as microorganisms attaching to their surfaces, the team is exploring the use of special gels to make the submersibles' surfaces less attractive to marine life.
China is not alone in developing manta ray-like submersibles. The United States has also been testing similar underwater drones. Northrop Grumman, in collaboration with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has developed an autonomous underwater drone capable of long-duration, long-range missions.
China showcased another advanced underwater drone, the UUV300CB, at the Defence Services Asia exhibition in Malaysia earlier this year (via Newsweek). This extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV), intended for export, highlights China's push to develop autonomous underwater weapons.
The UUV300CB is 11.5 meters long and weighs 50 tonnes, with a range of 450 nautical miles (834 km). It is capable of carrying sea mines, smaller UUVs, and lightweight torpedoes, with potential for missile launch capabilities.
