VESSEL REVIEW | Hadalus – Unmanned submarine optimised for low-cost operation and scalable manufacture

RTX, through its Raytheon division, and Composite Energy Technologies (CET) have completed construction of a new, low-cost, long-endurance unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV).

The 34-foot (10-metre) Hadalus has a six‑foot (1.8-metre) cross section and more than 2,000 nautical miles of endurance as well as a maximum operating depth of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet).

RTX said the craft’s free‑flooded, all‑carbon‑fibre exoskeleton delivers exceptional strength and payload capacity while enabling a significantly lower‑cost architecture.

The UUV was also designed to cost roughly one‑third to one‑fifth of comparable long‑endurance vehicles. It is powered by software and autonomy packages that were developed by the US Navy and are available for industry use.

Low-observable platform built for ease of deployment

Designed for contested logistics, the UUV can be shipped in a standard container and assembled using low-skilled labour at the point of deployment, combining the ability to deploy rapidly with long endurance and significant payload capacity.

According to CET, the platform can carry nearly 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) of mission payload while its composite construction provides benefits such as lighter overall weight and improved resistance to corrosion.

The craft also boasts superior stealth and acoustic transparency, thus reducing the risk of it being detected by hostile sensors.

The UUV can be deliberately beached, allowing operators to unload cargo even at unprepared shores. The craft can afterwards return to the water, retrieving its anchor on its own before resubmerging.

Capabilities proven during at-sea navy demonstrations

RTX said that in less than 18 months, Raytheon and CET progressed from a conceptual sketch to a complete prototype successfully demonstrated in water. This was driven by investment from both companies in the design and build of the vehicle, integration of the launcher, sonar and electronics and full system testing.

During a recent US Navy exercise, the UUV completed a series of at-sea missions on a navy undersea test range, successfully demonstrating its undersea launch capabilities while submerged. RTX said this marked the first time the US Navy has seen this integrated capability in the water.

Both RTX and CET remarked that the demonstrations constituted a key step towards operationalising scalable, modular, and mission-adaptable undersea systems for navy and defence applications.

CET also noted that the commercially based, modular platform is ready for scaled production, offering reduced long-term costs and a sustainable supply chain to support future US Navy operations in contested maritime environments. If approved, construction of the UUVs will take place at CET’s automated manufacturing facilities in Bristol, Rhode Island.