First Demo Dive Of US Navy Drone Submarine In 2016

The US has scheduled to demonstrate a 10-foot unmanned submarine, Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) in the early 2016.

The vehicle is still under development and will be fitted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, various media reported Wednesday.

The US has planned to deploy the squadron of underwater drones by 2020. "These systems are affordable and rapidly deployable worldwide. They've already been operational and served as critical enablers and game-changers for mine-hunting missions, such as those that will be conducted aboard," US Navy Secretary Mabus said on Tuesday.

Mabus also named retired Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Frank Kelley on Tuesday to serve as the first deputy assistant Navy secretary for unmanned systems. Kelley will be responsible for creating and implementing a strategy for unmanned technology development.

In september, the US Navy announced plans for heading forward with unmanned underwater vehicles development. The vehicles are to be launched from littoral combat ships and Virginia-class and Ohio-class submarines.