HydraStrike

HydraStrike developed SpiderEgg, a modular UUV designed to deliver distributed undersea effects with high operational efficiency and low per-unit cost. The system accommodates up to three small kinetic effectors (“Spiders”) in a lower payload bay and an upper deck for FPV drones, sensor pods, or EW modules. The platform is launchable from submarine tubes, large UUVs, surface vessels, or shore platforms.

Within 40 days, the team completed a full design–build–test cycle, producing a 1:3-scale working prototype that demonstrated autonomous navigation, top-speed runs, and range testing. Test data indicates approximately 3.1× the operational range of the U.S. Navy’s heavyweight torpedo of choice, the Mk 48. The overall design follows a platform-agnostic, open-architecture philosophy, optimized for mass production using COTS components.

Mechanically, the vehicle integrates dual-actuated bomb-bay deployment, pressure-rated rotary shaft seals with dual-channel military-standard grooves, electric propulsion, and modular bays enabling maintenance turnaround in under 15 minutes. All sensors and controls—including sonar, IMU, ESC, BMS, and drivetrain—operate through ROS 2 to support both autonomous and semi-autonomous mission modes.

A key innovation lies in the energetic coupling concept, where multiple Spiders (lightweight kinetic effectors launched from inside the SpiderEgg) coordinate their terminal detonations in time and space so that hydrodynamic interactions amplify the combined effect. Simulations by Stanford’s Flow Physics & Computational Lab showed that this method can achieve lethality comparable to a Mk 48 while using roughly half the total explosive mass.

Operationally, the system can execute distributed mission kills—targeting specific subsystems—or synchronize swarm attacks for a decisive hard kill. The Spiders employ onboard mesh networking and cueing to dynamically adjust targets during missions, while the parent capsule can provide re-tasking via masted thermal/EO sensors and redundant SATCOM, Iridium, HF, and VHF links.

HydraStrike’s work gained strong validation: over 180 stakeholder interviews—including 20 admirals and 30 acquisition officers—secured $100K in equity-free funding and a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Navy to pursue full-scale development.

HydraStrike has paused operations.

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