HII Has High Hopes For Big US Navy UUV Order

Defence firm HII has delivered two uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) to the U.S. Navy in an MCM pilot programme that could see the force eventually acquiring up to 200 such drones.

As per a press statement, the firm has recently delivered two of its “Lionfish” small uncrewed undersea vehicles (SUUVs) to the U.S. Navy. If the force opts to scale up the programme and acquire hundreds of the drones, the contract value will climb to nearly $350 million.

The modular, open-architecture Lionfish drones are based on HII’s REMUS 300 platform, an SUUV developed in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

It can be adapted for use in a range of missions including mine countermeasures (MCM), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and electronic warfare (EW).

“This delivery represents a key milestone in the Lionfish programme,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of Mission Technologies’ Uncrewed Systems business group.

“The success and on-time delivery of Lionfish is the product of close collaboration between the government and industry team that will put a critical mine-hunting capability in the hands of sailors and marines in an operationally relevant timeframe.”

HII won the U.S. Navy’s Lionfish contract in 2023, and production of the SUUV is ongoing at the firm’s uncrewed systems facility in Pocasset, Massachusetts.

• You can read more details on the HII website