Is Lockheed Martin’s Lamprey the Game-Changer in Underwater Warfare? Discover Its Unique Features
Daniel Kim Views
[CBC News] U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin Corporation has made waves in the industry by unveiling a groundbreaking unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) inspired by the lamprey eel.
On February 9, defense news outlet The War Zone reported that Lockheed Martin is developing a multi-mission autonomous underwater vehicle (MMAUV) dubbed “Lamprey” for naval applications. The name reflects the unique capabilities of this innovative submersible.
Lockheed Martin’s released concept video showcases the Lamprey’s ability to lie dormant on the seafloor, monitoring enemy vessel activity before covertly maneuvering to designated target areas when required.
The Lamprey’s most cutting-edge feature is its adhesive operational mode, living up to its namesake. The UUV is equipped with specialized suction plates on its upper hull, enabling it to attach to the hulls of enemy or civilian vessels. This design allows for energy conservation while evading detection systems during infiltration missions. Furthermore, the vehicle can recharge its batteries using an onboard hydrogen generator while in transit, dramatically extending its operational endurance.
The Lamprey’s hull design features an elongated rectangular shape with a dual-axis propulsion system aft. Its interior boasts a highly modular payload bay. Upon reaching its operational zone, the Lamprey surfaces to deploy a foldable twin-launcher, capable of launching small reconnaissance drones. Simultaneously, it can fire lightweight torpedoes underwater to engage critical vulnerabilities on enemy ships, demonstrating its hybrid attack capabilities.
Lockheed Martin representatives emphasized that this innovative design enables the Lamprey to perform a wide array of modern undersea warfare missions. These include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), target acquisition, and subsea equipment deployment, elevating it beyond a mere attack platform.
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▮ CBC News | Report by Han Dong-jun
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