Details about Snakehead and the contractors developing it remains scarce. What is known is that the drone is a long-endurance, multi-mission UUV that can be deployed from the Dry Deck Shelter of some of the Navy’s submarines and has been previously described by the service as the largest UUV intended for hosting and deployment from submarines. According to a contract awarded in 2019, Snakehead is powered by Lithium-ion Fault Tolerant (LiFT) batteries.
The drone subs have some degree of autonomy thanks to the Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA) and Common Control System (CCS). These software systems offer operators a standard tool for mission planning and execution and monitor UUVs in the field.
Details regarding Snakehead and the contractors that are working on it are limited. It is known that the unmanned system is a long-endurance, multi-mission UUV that can be deployed from the Dry Deck Shelter of some of the Navy’s submarines and has previously been described as the largest UUV designated for hosting and deployment from submarines by the service. Snakehead is powered by Lithium-ion Fault Tolerant (LiFT) batteries, according to a contract won in 2019.
The Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA) and Common Control System (CCS) of the Navy provide some autonomy to the drone subs (CCS).
These software packages provide operators with a standardised platform for mission planning and execution and field monitoring of UUVs.