Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has announced that construction of the prototype for its new family of unmanned surface vessels (USV) has reached 30 per cent completion.
Company executives visited Breaux Brothers Enterprises in Loreauville, Louisiana, to review progress on the hull, outfitting, and the integration of the autonomous control system.
The vessel remains on schedule for sea trials in the fourth quarter of 2026. Andy Green, President of HII’s Mission Technologies division, said the prototype, “is progressing at a pace that reflects the urgency of the mission and the strength of our partnerships.”
According to HII, the new USVs are designed for high-endurance, open-ocean autonomy, with missions including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), counter-unmanned air systems, and mine countermeasures.
The vessels are engineered for speeds over 25 knots (46 kilometres per hour) and a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 kilometres).
The prototype features an open-architecture software suite allowing for the integration of third-party technologies. HII noted that the platform is designed to operate in conjunction with its unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) to support distributed maritime operations.
