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The newest battlefield for drone warfare isn’t in the air; it’s underwater, with nations around the world investing in autonomous vessels that are capable of working deep under the ocean’s surface (The Wall Street Journal, subscription).

The big idea: “The new underwater drones, with names such as Ghost Shark, Herne and Manta Ray, can typically dive thousands of feet below the surface and operate largely without human interaction for days on end.”

• “That ability makes them ideally suited to gather intelligence, protect undersea infrastructure and counter potential threats in the Pacific, advocates say.”

The opportunity: In recent years, manufacturers have developed longer-lasting batteries, more accurate sensors and smaller electronics—all features that make it easier for an autonomous vessel to take on critical tasks for long stretches of time without human intervention.

The projects: A range of manufacturers are leading in this new field. Defense startup Anduril is creating an underwater drone called Ghost Shark for Australia, while Boeing will deliver five “extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicles”—called “Orcas”—to the U.S. Navy by the end of 2025.

• “Other underwater drones include BAE Systems’ Herne, which is being tested in the U.K., and Northrop Grumman’s Manta Ray, which has a similar shape to the giant flat fish.”
• France, South Korea and Germany are also working on unmanned underwater vessels, while Ukraine is testing an underwater attack drone.

Why it matters: Nations are looking to protect undersea cables and other infrastructure from attacks and interference—a job that would be expensive to accomplish with submarines. At the same time, many western countries are eager to counter the influence of China, which has the world’s largest surface naval fleet as well as some autonomous underwater vessels.

The challenges: These drones must operate under enormous amounts of pressure, far under the surface of the ocean. Conditions underwater can be harsh and unpredictable, and maintaining communications with a vessel deep in the ocean is difficult. And because the drones have no human operators on board, there is no one to make repairs if anything goes wrong.

• “The ocean is a real harsh environment,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of uncrewed systems at shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, which has its own range of underwater drones. “Sending something to the deep ocean is like sending something to space.”