US Navy testing expendable underwater mining drone

The US Navy is testing a new mining system using an expendable underwater unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that can be safely deployed from a submarine, aiming to enhance maritime defense capabilities.

The Mining Expendable Delivery Unmanned Submarine Asset (MEDUSA) program has completed key risk-reduction activities. 

General Dynamics Mission Systems and the Unmanned Maritime Systems program office (PMS 406) have been diligently collaborating on the MEDUSA program since its award in September 2024.

Recognizing the critical urgency surrounding the fleet’s need for MEDUSA, General Dynamics approached PMS 406 with a comprehensive plan to mitigate program risk soon after the award. General Dynamics provided a full-scale risk reduction asset, or rapid prototype, soon after the program’s inception, enabling the team to commence a series of high-impact tests.

These rigorous tests are now informing key elements of the design, ensuring the MEDUSA system will perform to the navy’s operational requirements, according to the company.

General Dynamics Mission Systems stated that the risk-reduction activities are underway and focus on several unique elements of the MEDUSA program, including propulsion, navigation, specialized autonomy behaviors, and energy management.

“The rapid prototype has been an immensely helpful tool for feeding back data to the design and development phase of the program ahead of key milestone events,” said Chris Clapp, senior program manager for MEDUSA at General Dynamics Mission Systems.

“Our marine operations team is the primary interface with UUV operators in the field,” stated Zack Hood, senior engineering manager at General Dynamics Mission Systems.

“We have had our hands on the prototype for the past several months and it has provided valuable user-level perspective to the design process. Soon, we hope to host Sailors and allow them to offer direct feedback while planning and operating the system.”

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