Photo credit U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy has confirmed a major milestone in undersea warfare: the successful forward-deployed launch and recovery of the Yellow Moray uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV), a variant of HII’s REMUS 600, from the HII-built USS Delaware (SSN 791), a Virginia-class submarine.
This marks the first-ever torpedo tube deployment and recovery of a UUV in support of a tactical mission. Conducted in the U.S. European Command theater, the operation involved three sorties lasting 6–10 hours each. No diver assistance was required demonstrating autonomous capability, mission endurance, and real-world utility.
HII technologies were central to the operation, reinforcing the company’s leadership across two core growth pillars: the design and construction of nuclear powered submarines and autonomous uncrewed systems. Integrating UUVs through standard submarine interfaces significantly extends the U.S. Navy’s capabilities and range in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), mine warfare, and seabed operations, while increasing stealth and reducing risk and operational burden on crew.
“HII is proud to support this important milestone for the U.S Navy in the future of undersea warfare,” said Chris Kastner, president and CEO of HII. “Using HII’s REMUS for the first-ever forward deployed submarine torpedo tube launch and recovery is a testament to our partnership, and to the value of investing in innovation to meet the U.S. Navy’s urgent needs.”
This milestone reflects growing demand for integrated manned-autonomous undersea operations and underlines HII’s long-term potential in shipbuilding, robotics, and defense autonomy.
