Snakehead Will Be The Largest Underwater Drone That U.S. Nuclear Submarines Can Deploy
Snakehead was designed to fit inside existing dry dock shelters that attach to the back of Navy submarines and are typically used by Navy SEALs.
By Joseph Trevithick December 28, 2020
The War Zone
The U.S. Navy is moving ahead with plans to expand its unmanned undersea vehicle capabilities with the acquisition of a new large-displacement design as part of its Snakehead program. The service wants these drones, which its nuclear-powered submarines will be able to launch and recover underwater, to initially be able to scout ahead or monitor certain areas, as well as perform other intelligence-gathering missions. It has plans to use them in other roles, including as electronic warfare platforms, in the future, as well.
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced that it had issued the final request for proposals (RFP) for Snakehead's Phase 2 on Dec. 23, 2020. The actual RFP is only available, at present, to companies bidding for the contract to build these large-displacement unmanned undersea vehicles (LDUUV). The Navy plans to pick a winning offer before the end of the current fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, 2021.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38443/snakehead-will-be-the-largest-underwater-drone-that-u-s-nuclear-submarines-can-deploy
