A new unmanned undersea vehicle that can operate autonomously for months at a time has been introduced by Boeing.

The Echo Voyager's endurance is the result off a hybrid rechargeable power system and modular payload bay, the company said.

The 51-foot-long vehicle can also be launched and recovered without the use of support ships needed by other UUVs.

"Echo Voyager is a new approach to how unmanned undersea vehicles will operate and be used in the future," said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works. "Our investments in innovative technologies such as autonomous systems are helping our customers affordably meet mission requirements now and in the years to come."

According to Boeing, Echo Voyager can collect data while at sea, rise to the surface, and provide information back to users in a near real-time environment.

Details on the hybrid power system used to power the vessel, however, were not disclosed.

Sea trials of the vessel are scheduled to begin this summer.