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Product · Undersea

Orca XLUUV

Boeing extra-large unmanned undersea vehicle for U.S. Navy mine laying, derived from Echo Voyager; five vehicles ordered.

by Boeing

PrototypeUnderseaMilestoneJun 11, 2025
Boeing's Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle on display during a Navy visit

Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist William Spears · Public domain (PD-USGov-Military-Navy)

Milestones20232025
  1. First deliveryFirst Orca delivered to the U.S. Navy, reported
  2. MilestoneGAO assessment: Orca prototype delays and technology risks, confirmed

Boeing extra-large unmanned undersea vehicle for U.S. Navy mine laying, derived from Echo Voyager; five vehicles ordered.

Timeline2

  1. First deliveryReported

    First Orca delivered to the U.S. Navy

    SourcesDefenseScoop

  2. MilestoneConfirmed

    GAO assessment: Orca prototype delays and technology risks

    GAO’s June 2025 assessment describes Orca as a research and development effort. The Navy received a test asset in December 2023 and, as of January 2025, expected five prototypes by the end of 2025. GAO identified fabrication, battery, autonomy and navigation challenges. Procurement costs and quantities for a possible program of record were undetermined; the delivery expectation is not evidence of completed deliveries.

    SourcesU.S. Government Accountability Office

Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.

Technologies1

Cost to the government

  • Total acquisition costConfirmed
    $621M
    Then-year $ · 5 units

    GAO-22-105974 (Sep 2022), based on the FY2023 President's Budget: $621M planned to build five XLUUVs incl. a $73M test vehicle; original 2016 estimate $379M (64% growth).

    U.S. Government Accountability Office
  • Contract unit priceEstimated
    $10.8M
    4 units

    Feb 2019 Navy contract modification to Boeing: $43M for fabrication, test and delivery of four Orca XLUUVs and support elements; $43,000,000 / 4 = $10.75M per vehicle (division by us). GAO later put the cost of five vehicles at $621M.

    Naval News

Unit costs and contract unit prices for this product, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.

Operators1

  • USUnited States

News2

Sources4

  1. 1.
    Government recordWeapon Systems Annual Assessment: DOD Leaders Should Ensure That Newer Programs Are Structured for Speed and Innovation — p. 144

    U.S. Government Accountability Office · Jun 11, 2025 · Supports: System milestone

    “The Navy received the XLUUV test asset in December 2023.”
  2. 2.
    NewsNavy receives first Orca unmanned submarine from Boeing

    DefenseScoop · Dec 20, 2023 · Supports: System milestone

    “Boeing delivered the first Orca underwater drone to the Navy this month after a series of tests at sea, the company announced Wednesday.”
  3. 3.
    NewsUS Navy's ORCA XLUUV 64% Over Budget, 3 Years Late

    Naval News · Sep 28, 2022 · Supports: Cost · amount, System

    “Boeing won a $43 million contract for the fabrication, test, and delivery of four Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs) and associated support elements”
  4. 4.
    Government recordUncrewed Undersea Vehicles: Navy's Extra Large UUV (GAO-22-105974)

    U.S. Government Accountability Office · Sep 28, 2022 · Supports: Cost · amount

    “The Navy now plans to spend $621 million to build the five planned XLUUVs, a cost that includes the newly added the test vehicle for $73 million.”

Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.