Lockheed Martin Cormorant

Lore & Background

The Cormorant was conceived by researchers at Skunk Works who envisioned a drone that could be stored in the large missile tubes of U.S. Navy submarines, which are 44 ft long and 7 ft in diameter. While stored in the tube, the aircraft's wings were folded around its body. After floating to the surface, the wings would unfold and rockets would assist the aircraft in lifting off from the water's surface.

To survive the pressures at a launch depth of 150 ft (46 m), the Cormorant was constructed from titanium to prevent corrosion, and empty spaces were filled with plastic foam to resist crushing. The interior was pressurized with inert gas, and all doors, inlets, and covers used inflatable seals to keep the aircraft watertight.

DARPA provided funding for tests of models and some onboard systems, which were completed by September 2006. After the tests, DARPA was to decide whether to fund a flying prototype. Although the tests achieved their goals and capabilities, DARPA cancelled the contract due to budget cuts in FY08. To avoid revealing the submarine's position, the submarine was to slip away while the Cormorant floated to the surface; after the mission, the submarine would transmit rendezvous coordinates, and a robotic retrieval vehicle would fetch the drone after it landed on the water.

Reader's Guide

The Cormorant represented an ambitious attempt to integrate unmanned aerial capabilities with submarine operations, leveraging existing Trident missile tubes for storage and launch. Its design addressed extreme engineering challenges, including pressure resistance at depth, corrosion protection, and watertight sealing. The operational concept emphasized stealth: the submarine would depart the launch area before the drone surfaced, and retrieval would occur via a robotic vehicle at a separate rendezvous point. Despite successful tests of models and systems by September 2006, DARPA cancelled the program in FY08 due to budget cuts, preventing the construction of a flying prototype. The project remains notable for its innovative approach to submarine-launched aviation and the technical solutions developed for deep-water launch and recovery.

Did You Know?

• The Cormorant was named after a diving bird due to its intended submarine-launched role.
• The aircraft was designed to be stored in submarine missile tubes measuring 44 ft by 7 ft.
• To survive launch at 150 ft depth, the Cormorant was made of titanium and filled with plastic foam.
• A robotic retrieval vehicle was planned to recover the drone after it landed on the water.