| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Echo Ranger |
| Builders: | Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) |
| Operators: | United States Boeing |
| Preceded by: | ORISIS |
| In commission: | September 30, 2004 |
| General characteristics Echo Ranger | |
| Type: | Remotely Operated Vehicle |
| Displacement: | 5,308 kilograms (11,700 lb)) |
| Length: | 5.5 m (18 ft) |
| Beam: | 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) |
| Height: | 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion: | Thrusters |
| Speed: | 8 knots (15 km/h) maximum, 3 knots (5.6 km/h) to 6 knots (11 km/h) normal operating speed |
| Endurance: | 28 hours (can be configured for 30-day missions) |
| Test depth: | 3,050 m (10,010 ft) |
The Echo Ranger is a marine remotely operated vehicle (MROV) built by Boeing. Originally built in 2001 to capture high-resolution sonar images of sea beds for the oil and gas industry (companies such as the Exxon Mobil Corporation), the Echo Ranger has been undergoing testing for possible use by the military. Among its possible uses are to stalk enemy waters, patrol local harbors for national security threats, and scour ocean floors to detect environmental hazards. The submersible weights more than five tons and is 18.5-foot long. It is able to descend to 10,000 feet.