The US Navy is one step closer to being equipped with robotic systems to detect enemy submarines, receiving the Sea Hunter unmanned trimaran for final tests.

ACTUV (Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trace Unmanned Ship) – a highly autonomous surface drone can be in patrol mode for several months.

Sea Hunter trimaran has successfully passed all tests and confirmed the declared characteristics. Now the sailor has to pass a series of tests by the Office of Naval Research (part of the US Navy structure), after which he can begin combat duty.

ACTUVs will patrol alongside P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft, MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles and special sonobuoys. Sea Hunter is equipped with the latest sensors, radars and sonar that enable early detection and classification of underwater and surface objects.

Theoretically, the duration of a trip to the sea could be three months, after which the robot will need refueling and basic maintenance.

The main goal of the ACTUV program is to create an effective tool for detecting submarines in coastal waters.

The Sea Hunter has a length of 40 m and a total displacement of 145 tons, of which 40 tons is fuel. During sea trials, the robot will reach a speed of 27 knots (50 km/h), while its speed will be affected by many factors (remaining fuel, wind direction and speed, wave height, etc.). The developers claim that the ACTUV can withstand a level 7 storm at sea.