Manta Ray

Eight and a half-miles…almost walkable. Eight and a half-miles from where I work to Pt. Hueneme Naval Base. Satellite views in Google Maps (34°09'13.0, -119°12'31.0), suggests an extremely unusual craft docked within the confines of Pt. Hueneme Naval Base.

Known officially as Northrop Grumman’s Manta Ray and part of a DARPA program, the Manta Ray is a submersible unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), built in Maryland and tested in the waters of Southern California. Around 45 feet from wing to wing, an overall length of 33 feet, the prototype is designed to glide through the water without anyone inside. The Manta Ray is a drone tested for a variety of ocean environments, range, endurance and much more…However, my focus is that this beautiful piece of ingenuity is only eight and a half-miles from where I stand at the entrance to 1788 Goodyear Avenue in the beautiful sea-side city of Ventura, California. Now the question is….how did I miss the initial in-water preview? Still waiting for my invite!