Why New U.S. Manta Ray Submarine TERRIFIES China
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In this video, we explore the Manta Ray, a revolutionary unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) developed by DARPA and Northrup Grumman. Unlike traditional submarines, the Manta Ray operates autonomously, travels quietly, and can stay submerged almost indefinitely by harvesting ocean energy. Its modular design allows easy assembly and deployment, making it a game-changer for the U.S. Navy. As China ramps up its submarine production, the Manta Ray could shift the balance of naval power. Dive in to learn how this cutting-edge tech works!
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The Manta Ray represents a revolutionary shift in submarine technology that gives the U.S. decisive undersea dominance over China by combining unmanned autonomy, renewable energy, modular design, and stealth capabilities that render traditional submarine strategies obsolete.
- Manta Ray's thermal energy harvesting and data bubble systems enable indefinite underwater operation without surfacing, making it undetectable by traditional anti-submarine methods
- Modular design allows rapid deployment from 750+ U.S. bases worldwide, enabling overwhelming numerical superiority in contested regions like the South China Sea
- China's massive investment in traditional submarines becomes strategically moot as the Manta Ray operates at depths and with stealth characteristics that existing Chinese detection methods cannot counter
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Data bubbles are tiny electronic devices developed by Northrop Grumman that store data, float to the surface when released from charging stations, and use RF satellite communications antennas to transmit data to shore, satellites, or ships.
“Again, the insulated connectors built into the thermal energy pods the Manta Ray will use to recharge itself come into play. Those connectors not only transfer electrical current but can also be used to transfer data from the Manta Ray to command bases on the shore. How? A clever technology that Northrup Grumman calls 'data bubbles.' Theobald explains these devices: 'Data bubbles are tiny electronic devices that store data. When released from the station, they float to the surface and begin using their RF satellite communications antenna to transmit data to shore, to a satellite, or to a ship.'”
The U.S. has been developing a submarine called the Manta Ray that is completely unmanned and entirely autonomous, eliminating human risk while moving so quietly through water that modern equipment cannot track it.
“What if we told you that the U.S. has been developing a submarine that eliminates almost all of them? A submarine that is so easy to build and deploy that the maintenance problem is mitigated massively. A vessel that is completely unmanned and entirely autonomous, meaning the human risk of operating submarines is taken out of the equation. And, perhaps most importantly, a submarine that moves so quietly through the water that modern equipment isn't capable of tracking it.”
Jim Windgassen and Harvey Hack, both Northrup Grumman employees, invented NiobiCon, a self-insulating electrical connector technology that can be mated and de-mated even when exposed to water, eliminating the need for oils and rubber seals.
“That required a new invention – NiobiCon. This self-insulating electrical connector tech is the brainchild of Jim Windgassen and Harvey Hack, who are both Northrup Grumman employees. Together, they created a connector that's capable of being mated and de-mated even when exposed to water, eliminating the need for oils and rubber seals to prevent water from impacting an electrical connection.”
The Manta Ray can stay out at sea almost indefinitely, constantly delivering mission data without needing to return to port, instead traveling to various electricity storage locations to recharge.
“In short – the Manta Ray is capable of staying out at sea almost indefinitely, constantly delivering mission data as it does without needing to return to port. Instead, it can travel to various electricity storage locations to recharge.”
The Manta Ray is a modular vessel that was shipped piecemeal from Northrup Grumman's Maryland manufacturing site to Naval Base Ventura County, broken down into small sections that allowed easy road transport and rapid reassembly.
“The Manta Ray is also a modular vessel. At least, that's the indication received from how Northrup Grumman shipped the submarine from its manufacturing site in Maryland to Naval Base Ventura County. Naval Technology reports that the UUV was shipped piecemeal, meaning it was broken down into small sections that allowed it to be easily transported via road to its destination. Once it arrived, the Manta Ray was quickly reassembled ready for testing.”
VLF antenna installations are vulnerable military targets; if the U.S. found itself at war with a country capable of firing missiles (such as China), it could quickly lose the ability to communicate with its submarines.
“Those installations are vulnerable. If the U.S. found itself at war with a country that's capable of firing missiles at these antenna complexes, such as China, it could find itself quickly losing the ability to communicate with its submarines using VLW.”
Brian Theobald, DARPA's chief engineer for the Manta Ray program and a 13-year veteran of Northrup Grumman's previous UUV projects, partnered with renewable energy technology company Seatrec to develop a way to harness ocean thermal gradients to generate electricity for the Manta Ray.
“Starting with powering the vessel, DARPA's chief engineer for the Manta Ray program – Brian Theobald – developed a novel idea. A 13-year veteran of Northrup Grumman's previous UUV projects, Theobald began working with a renewable energy technology company named Seatrec to come up with a way to harness and harvest the ocean's inherent energy to keep the Manta Ray running.”
In May 2024, DARPA announced that a Manta Ray prototype completed full-scale in-water tests around the Southern Californian coast between February and March, examining hydrodynamic performance with focus on submerged operations including buoyancy, control, and propellers.
“In May 2024, DARPA announced that a Manta Ray prototype had completed a full-scale in-water test around the Southern Californian coast. The tests – which took place between February and March – examined the craft's hydrodynamic performance with a focus on submerged operations. Buoyancy, control, and propellors were all tested, allowing DARPA to confirm that the submarine could steer while propelling itself through the water.”
The U.S. has approximately 750 military bases spread across 80 countries, which provides a multitude of deployment options for Manta Rays that could theoretically allow the U.S. to send dozens, if not hundreds, of them into the world's oceans.
“Considering the fact the U.S. has around 750 bases spread across 80 countries, it benefits from a multitude of deployment options that could theoretically allow it to send dozens, if not hundreds, of Manta Rays into the world's oceans.”
Most above-surface military platforms (ships, planes, vehicles) communicate via radio, but submarines cannot use radio because radio waves get lost in conductive saltwater; American submarines currently use Very Low Frequency (VLF) transmissions that rely on enormous antenna complexes built in five places around the globe.
“Most above-surface military platforms, including ships, planes, and vehicles, communicate via radio. That's fine when you're above water – radio waves can travel freely through the air. But a problem arises for submarines because radio waves get lost in conductive saltwater, such as that which makes up the world's oceans. To compensate for this, American submarines currently use Very Low Frequency, or VLF, transmissions to communicate information back to their bases. These transmissions rely on the creation of enormous antenna complexes, which the U.S. has built in five places around the globe.”
The Manta Ray does not need to surface to use a periscope because there is nobody inside it to examine the surroundings, making patrol aircraft tactics of periscope detection pointless.
“The UUV also doesn't need to surface to use a periscope – there's nobody inside to examine the UUV's surroundings anyway – making patrol aircraft pointless in combating America's new submarine.”
Kelley Ruehl, a mechanical engineer at Sandia National Laboratories and advisor to the Manta Ray project, states that ocean resources are 'persistent'—meaning waters never run out and waves never stop, making the ocean an unlimited energy resource for the Manta Ray.
“That's according to Kelley Ruehl, who is a mechanical engineer working with Sandia National Laboratories. Ruehl, who also serves as an advisor on the Manta Ray project, says: 'One of the things that's really interesting about ocean resources is that they are persistent.' In other words, the waters never run out and the waves never stop. According to Ruehl, this persistence not only means the ocean itself is an unlimited energy resource for the Manta Ray, but there is also the potential for the production of power at a wider scale, especially if a device is developed to capture and transfer the power of ocean currents.”
The Manta Ray faces several remaining challenges before deployment: much charging station technology is still theoretical and may take months or years to be reliably deployed, undersea corrosion from saltwater exposure could force early returns to base for repairs, and pathfinding requires artificial intelligence and sensor arrays to avoid crashing.
“There are still challenges to confront before the UUV can be deployed. For one, much of the technology behind the charging stations is still theoretical, meaning it may take several months or years before it reaches a point where it can be reliably deployed. Northrup Grumman will also need to find a solution for the undersea corrosion issue – constant exposure to saltwater could wear away at the Manta Ray to the point where it's forced to return to base early for repairs. There's also the pathfinding challenge, as the Manta Ray is a UUV with no human on board to control its direction. It's likely that Northrup Grumman will implement artificial intelligence here, likely combined with an array of sensors that allow the Manta Ray to identify its surroundings so it doesn't crash.”
China is building submarines at a rapid pace; satellite imagery shows China is building new diesel-fueled submarines with an existing fleet of 48, of which 21 are Yuan-class submarines that weigh 3,600 tons and can fire missiles at ships.
“As part of its massive military modernization, China has been building submarines at a rapid pace. That's according to a July 2024 Newsweek report, which claims that satellite imagery shows that China is building new diesel-fueled submarines to go along with 48 it already has. Of those 48, 21 are Type 039A/B submarines – also designated as the Yuan-class by NATO – which weigh 3,600 tons and are capable of firing missiles at ships.”
China is attempting to control the South China Sea, through which approximately one-third of global shipping passes; China believes it owns almost the entirety of that waterway, a claim disputed by countries including the Philippines and Malaysia.
“In particular, China is attempting to control the South China Sea, through which around a third of global shipping passes. China believes it owns almost the entirety of that waterway, which is a claim disputed by a host of countries, including the Philippines and Malaysia.”
The U.S. is playing chess while China is stuck playing checkers: while China invests millions into building traditional submarines to expand underwater reach, the U.S. is investing in unmanned and revolutionary new submarines representing the next generation of technological achievement.
“The problem for them is that the U.S. is now playing chess while China is stuck playing checkers. As China invests more millions into building traditional submarines to expand its underwater reach, the U.S. is investing in unmanned and revolutionary new submarines that represent the next generation of technological achievement with this type of equipment.”
China's traditional submarines cannot do anything about Manta Rays gathering and transmitting information about them because even if a Jin-class submarine spots a Manta Ray in South China Sea waters, the Manta Ray can descend to depths that the Jin-class cannot reach.
“In short, China's traditional submarines won't be able to do a thing about the Manta Rays gathering and transmitting information about them. Even if a Jin-class sub spots a Manta Ray in the South China Sea waters, the Manta Ray can descend to depths that the Jin-class can't reach.”
The Manta Ray's data bubbles solve communication vulnerabilities by making the UUV independent of VLF infrastructure; even if an enemy destroys all VLF antenna stations, the Manta Ray can still transmit information to U.S. command posts via data bubbles.
“The Manta Ray's data bubbles solve these problems. While it's still possible that the Manta Ray will also be equipped with VLW – why not build it in if you have the infrastructure in place to use it? – it will no longer be reliant on the technology. An enemy could take out every VLW antenna station and fail to put a dent in the Manta Ray's ability to transmit information to U.S. command posts.”
Niobium forms an ultra-thin passive film when it contacts water that prevents current from leaking into the water; when the connector's two halves are mated, this insulating film is scraped off to allow current to flow, and when current stops flowing, the film reforms upon water contact.
“The film prevents current from leaking from the contact into the water. When the connector's two halves are mated, the insulating film is scraped off, allowing current to flow unimpeded through the connector. Once the current is no longer flowing, the film reforms upon contact with the water, and the Manta Ray is recharged and ready to go.”
If war breaks out, the fact that Manta Rays can be equipped with a payload means the U.S. could use them as kamikaze weapons to take out China's submarines, and the UUVs are unmanned and easy to manufacture and assemble.
“And worse of all for China, if war did break out, the fact that Manta Rays can be equipped with a payload means the U.S. could use them as kamikaze weapons to take out China's subs. After all, the UUVs are unmanned and, by all reports, appear to be easy to manufacture and assemble now that the technological aspects have been confronted.”
The Manta Ray is based in Naval Base Ventura County, a Californian base that focuses primarily on the research, development, and testing of new weaponry, with estimated wingspan of 45 feet and overall length of 33 feet.
“The submarine The Warzone examined is based in Naval Base Ventura County – a Californian base that focuses primarily on the research, development, and testing of new weaponry. It's estimated that the underwater drone's wingspan is around 45 feet, with its overall length being 33 feet.”
Magnetic anomaly detectors (MADs) in patrol aircraft scan the Earth's magnetic field to pick up sound-based anomalies revealing submarine presence when combined with sonobuoys, but this detection method will not work against the Manta Ray because the UUV barely generates sound.
“Beyond simply looking for periscopes and emerging submarines, patrol planes can also be equipped with magnetic anomaly detectors or MADs. These magnets are placed in a pod at the rear of the aircraft to isolate the electromagnetic noise the craft itself generates. With that isolation complete, the MAD's sensors scan the Earth's magnetic field to pick up on sound-based anomalies. This could reveal the presence of a submarine under the water, though only when combined with sonobuoys dropped by the aircraft, which are used to pick up sounds. That won't work against the Manta Ray, either, as the UUV barely generates sound, and certainly not to the level that a diesel-powered submarine would.”
The only things traditional patrol aircraft could possibly scan for are the thermal energy harvesting pods that charging stations release—devices so small they will be almost impossible to spot, and even if spotted, they only locate one charging station among what could be dozens or hundreds.
“The only thing they could possibly scan for are the thermal energy harvesting pods the charging stations release – devices so small they'll be almost impossible to spot. And even if the patrol aircraft spot a pod, they've only found the location of one of what could be dozens, even hundreds, of charging stations under the sea. They haven't found a Manta Ray.”
Countries like the U.S., Russia, and China have designed submarines capable of firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) carrying nuclear warheads.
“More recently, they have taken on a nuclear slant, with countries like the U.S., Russia, and China designing subs that are capable of firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles, or SLBMs, carrying nuclear warheads.”
Submarines can travel through deep waters undetected by ships on the surface, making them ideal for subterfuge and launching unexpected attacks on opponents.
“Submarines are terrifying. They can travel through deep waters undetected by ships on the surface, meaning they're ideal for subterfuge and launching unexpected attacks on opponents.”
Neither DARPA nor Northrop Grumman have released official figures for the Manta Ray's size, suggesting development is ongoing and the estimates may change once the submarine enters active service.
“However, these dimensional specifications are estimates. Neither DARPA nor the Manta Ray's manufacturers – Northrup Grumman – have released official figures for the submarine's size. That suggests that development is ongoing, meaning the estimates The Warzone reports may change once the submarine enters active service.”