ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND — A retired commander has proposed using the U.S. Navy's Boeing Orca underwater drone offensively in future conflicts. <br /><br />According to Forbes, the Orca autonomous drone is a diesel-electric submarine with a payload bay—that could carry mines—and a control unit located in the forward section."<br /><br />In a post on the US Naval Institute blog, Commander Brian Dulla says the "moorpedo" is a smart weapon that is both a torpedo and a moored or bottom mine.<br /><br />The design includes an antenna, electric power propulsion, a temporary anchor, and a shaped explosive warhead with contact and proximity triggers.<br /><br />The Orca drone or other platforms could lay inactive moorpedos in international waters during peacetime, which is legal under international law.<br /><br />The underwater offensive drone would use its anchor to lay in wait and its antenna for receiving commands.<br /><br />If the autonomous weapon receives the command to actuate, it would engage the propulsion system to redeploy against an enemy port.<br /><br />The drone would also be able to attack enemy warships entering or leaving port as a mine or strike at moored ships as a slow-moving torpedo.
