Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles

Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles is a Navy initiative aimed at developing the Snakehead Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (LDUUV) as part of the Family of UUVs to maintain the Navy's undersea superiority. The program's specific objectives include providing increased endurance, depth capability, and payload capacity beyond small and medium class submarine-deployed UUVs. It also aims to develop high accuracy mission sensors, communications links, and modular payload capabilities with well-defined interfaces for cost-effective upgrades in future increments. The program is designed to follow an Accelerated Acquisition approach approved by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN(RDA)), featuring a phased approach to grow capabilities at a manageable level of risk.

The Snakehead LDUUV program involves a phased approach to build capabilities at a manageable level of risk in the Navy's class of Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicles. The program's goals include developing Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures (TTPs), Concepts of Operation (CONOPS), and risk reductions for submarine and surface ship integration. It also involves fabricating one Phase 1 vehicle with sufficient test spares for subsystem testing and in-water testing. Additionally, the program aims to provide technical and systems engineering support for the execution of demonstrations, testing, system refurbishment, and upgrades as required. The program's future requirements include increased capabilities and integration onto Modernized DDS as well as integration onto surface ships.