Echo Ranger is a marine autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) built by Boeing.
Originally built in 2001 to capture high-resolution sonar images of sea beds for oil and natural gas companies, such as the Exxon Mobil Corporation, Echo Ranger underwent testing for possible use by the military. Among its possible military uses are to stalk targets in enemy waters, patrol local harbors to detect national security threats, and scour ocean floors to detect environmental hazards. The submersible weighs more than five tons (4.5 metric tons), is long and is able to descend to .
See also Echo Voyager, a successor Boeing AUV
Sources Hennigan, W., J., "Boeing tests submarine drone off Santa Catalina Island," Los Angeles Times, August 19, 2001. auvac.org AUV System Spec Sheet: Echo Ranger platform boeing.com Echo Ranger