Commander Kyle Woerner
Tactical Technology Program Manager, DARPA
Kyle Woerner earned an undergraduate degree in systems engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a Master of Science in mechanical engineering, the degree of Naval Engineer, and a Doctor of Philosophy in autonomy and maritime robotics in the department of Mechanical Engineering and the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Woerner served in executive flag aide positions to the deputy commander and the commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. He completed numerous fast-attack submarine deployments throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans. He was on the personal staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as a special assistant focusing on unmanned systems, cyber warfare, and Navy acquisitions. He served as a project manager at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.
He joined the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in September 2018 as a program manager in the Tactical Technology Office.
In the News…
In the near future, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) wants to deploy autonomous submarines that can take on months-long missions without any in-person human logistical support or maintenance.
DARPA has awarded contracts to companies that will help in developing these naval vessels. It is part of the new “Manta Ray” program that will advance technology for future unmanned undersea vehicles.
Commander Kyle Woerner, program manager for the Manta Ray project in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said, “The Manta Ray program aims to increase at-sea operational capacity and capabilities for the combatant commander while minimizing disruptions to current operations by remaining independent of crewed vessels and ports once deployed.” He added, “If successful, this new class of UUVs would allow operational flexibility and relief of workload for both traditional host ships and servicing ports.”
