CAPE HATTERAS. N.C. – March 9, 2026 – Using the company’s cutting-edge sonar technology, µSAS™ , Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), released never-before-seen images of the historic USS Monitor – a Civil War era ship that sank on Dec. 31, 1862.
In September 2025, as part of Northrop Grumman’s Technology for Conservation initiative, Northrop Grumman and NOAA partnered to scan the historic ocean-floor site, capturing shipwreck imagery and evolution details about the current health of the sanctuary.
- The wreck, discovered in 1973 and designated as the country’s first National Marine Sanctuary by NOAA in 1975, rests nearly 240 feet below the ocean’s surface.
- NOAA monitors the health of the sanctuary and was in search of readily available technology to more closely evaluate the status of the site; Northrop Grumman’s µSAS (pronounced “micro-SAS”) technology, a micro synthetic aperture sonar, provided exactly that unique capability.
- Using acoustics, µSAS, produced detailed imagery of the seafloor capturing the highest resolution images to-date of the USS Monitor wreck.
- The Northrop Grumman team also created 3D digital and physical models for NOAA, including a depiction of Monitor's timeline from afloat in 1862, through its sinking and major recoveries, to its current state as a national marine sanctuary.
Kevin Gallagher, sonar architect on the µSAS team, Northrop Grumman:
“Our advanced µSAS sensor technology gives us a clear, detailed look at the USS Monitor for the first time since 1862—capturing the ship’s hull, interior, and surrounding debris through murky water. This breakthrough shows how Northrop Grumman’s leadership in cutting-edge sensing expands what’s possible, not just in aerospace and defense, but in exploring and preserving history.”
"Public-private partnerships like the one with Northrop Grumman help support NOAA's role as steward of the USS Monitor’s historic legacy and as a testbed for new technologies," said John Armor, director of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. "The Monitor was a technological marvel of its day, and it continues to serve the nation today by showcasing new technologies, scientific innovations, and groundbreaking educational programs. Thanks to Northrop Grumman's advanced scanning and digital reconstruction capabilities, the public will now be able to view images of the Monitor with near-photographic resolution and extreme three-dimensional accuracy. These products provide a valuable baseline for future monitoring and will inspire the next generation of marine scientists and archaeologists alike."
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Northrop Grumman’s µSAS captured the highest resolution images to-date of the USS Monitor wreck during a survey in September 2025. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)
A three-dimensional view of the USS Monitor resting on the seabed. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)
