HII has successfully demonstrated shipboard automated launch and recovery of a REMUS autonomous underwater vehicle, marking a key milestone in operationally proven manned–unmanned teaming for maritime missions.
The demonstration used HII’s Sea Launcher automated launch and recovery system to deploy and recover a REMUS unmanned underwater vehicle from a ship-based configuration. HII said the test validates the integration of mature automation and autonomy into ship-ready systems, including compatibility with the company’s ROMULUS family of unmanned surface vessels currently in production.
During recent testing, HII validated a fully autonomous, end-to-end launch and recovery sequence using a representative vehicle configured for real-world mission conditions. The recovery procedure mirrored techniques that have already been proven repeatedly in operational deployments across the U.S. Navy and allied forces.
Automated launch and recovery significantly reduces risk to sailors by minimising hands-on deck operations, while expanding mission range, flexibility and operational tempo. These advantages are particularly relevant in contested environments and high sea states, where manual handling of unmanned systems can constrain availability and increase safety risks.
HII said the demonstration highlights how REMUS’ long-established autonomous line capture and recovery capability can be seamlessly integrated with automated shipboard systems, enabling deployment from both manned and unmanned vessels. The company said this approach supports modern distributed maritime operations by allowing underwater, surface and crewed platforms to operate as a coordinated force.
REMUS is one of the most widely deployed autonomous underwater vehicle families in service, used by more than 30 navies worldwide for missions including mine countermeasures, undersea survey, intelligence collection and environmental sensing. Its modular, open-architecture design allows it to operate independently or as part of a distributed maritime force alongside crewed ships, unmanned surface vessels and other undersea platforms.
HII said it plans to continue integrating REMUS with its ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels, as well as a range of manned and unmanned ships, to support evolving operational requirements across U.S. and allied navies.
