Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is making significant strides in the development of its ROMULUS prototype, a new addition to its family of unmanned surface vessels (USVs). Currently, the prototype is approximately 30 percent complete and is set to undergo sea trials in late 2026.
The ROMULUS USVs are specifically designed for high-endurance missions in open-ocean environments, providing crucial support to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, joint forces, and allied partners. With a suite of advanced capabilities, these vessels are equipped for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tasks, as well as missions focused on counter-unmanned air systems. Additionally, they will play a role in mine countermeasures, strike operations, and the launch and recovery of unmanned underwater and aerial vehicles.
Andy Green, president of HII’s Mission Technologies division, highlighted the importance of the ROMULUS program, stating, “ROMULUS is progressing at a pace that reflects the urgency of the mission and the strength of our partnerships.” He emphasized that the system is designed to deliver scale, autonomy, and a significant operational advantage.
The ROMULUS vessels are noted for their impressive speed and range, capable of reaching over 25 knots (approximately 46 kilometers per hour or 29 miles per hour) and covering distances of up to 2,500 nautical miles (about 4,630 kilometers or 2,880 miles). Each vessel measures roughly 190 feet (58 meters) in length, making them sizable players in maritime operations.
In terms of operational capabilities, these vessels support both manned and unmanned teaming scenarios, particularly for tasks such as refueling and resupply missions. Central to the ROMULUS platform is Odyssey, HII’s AI-driven control suite, which allows for the management of individual vessels or the coordination of entire swarms.
The architecture of ROMULUS is designed for flexibility, enabling the integration of new sensors, payloads, and autonomous technologies as they become available. To further enhance their performance, ROMULUS incorporates advanced technological contributions from partners such as Shield AI, Applied Intuition, and C3 AI. In a recent development, HII and Shield AI successfully conducted a dual-autonomy integration test for the USV system, utilizing Shield AI’s Hivemind mission autonomy software in conjunction with HII’s Odyssey framework.
This next-generation unmanned surface vessel represents a noteworthy advancement in maritime capabilities, with potential implications for a wide range of military and security operations.
