The Navy is going to test and use unmanned undersea vehicles for training off the Ventura Coast. A report determined that the action would not have significant environmental impacts.
They're known as Orcas, or extra-large unmanned undersea vehicles, and are basically drone submarines.
"It's new to the Navy and it's about 85 feet long and it weighs about 175,000 pounds," explained Greg Thompson, who is an environmental planner for the Navy's Fleet Force Command.
Thompson said the public might catch a glimpse of the support vessels on the surface, but there will be no significant impact on the environment or residents.
"Its primary mission is mine warfare, and what that means for when we're training and testing it is, they're going to primarily be deploying inert and non-explosive mine shapes," Thompson said. "In addition to the unmanned vessels and vehicles, there's also a support vessel."
