Known as the Mining Expendable Delivery Unmanned Submarine Asset (MEDUSA), work on this expendable drone was highlighted by the American defense firm earlier this month. The prototype system was revealed to have completed test trials off Massachusetts during recent testing, according to a company press release. General Dynamics was contracted to design and produce MEDUSA prototypes in 2024 following the U.S. Navy’s demand for a maritime system capable of conducting long-range offensive mining operations. The service’s request for the capability comes amid an increasingly large and capable People’s Liberation Army Navy, which currently outnumbers the U.S. Navy in surface combatants. Offensive mining could prove crucial in a conflict in the Indo-Pacific against China, particularly over Taiwan.

Full report : General Dynamics is progressing with the development of MEDUSA: An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that is set to equip U.S. Navy submarines with a long-range offensive mine warfare capability.