Echo Seeker: Boeing's newest unmanned underwater vehicle goes deep, goes long

: Posted On Wednesday, 15 July 2015 08:59

Naval Defense Industry News - USA

Echo Seeker: Boeing's newest unmanned underwater vehicle goes deep, goes long

Go deep. Go long. That's what Boeing's newest autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle, Echo Seeker, is designed to do. It's a follow up to Echo Ranger, and its capabilities allow it to perform longer missions at greater depths than other unmanned submersibles. Check out the video to see Echo Seeker go through the paces at Boeing’s Huntington Beach facility.

Water is drained from Boeing's Echo Seeker following a dip test at a specially designed facility in Huntington Beach, Calif. Boeing picture.

Originally built in 2001 to capture high-resolution sonar images of sea beds for oil and natural gas companies, such as the Exxon Mobil Corporation, Echo Ranger has been undergoing testing for possible use by the military. Among its possible military uses are to stalk targets in enemy waters, patrol local harbors to detect national security threats, and scour ocean floors to detect environmental hazards. The submersible weights more than five tons (4.5 metric tons), is 18.5 feet (5.6 meters) long and is able to descend to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters).

Boeing video on Echo Seeker