US Shipbuilder HII Tests Sea Launcher for Autonomous REMUS 620 Underwater Drone Recovery

HII demonstrated key elements of automated launch and recovery of its REMUS 620 autonomous underwater vehicle using the Sea Launcher shipboard handling system, the company announced on October 19, 2026. Trials used a representative vessel configuration to assess an integrated handling sequence intended to reduce the personnel exposure and practical obstacles associated with deploying underwater drones from surface ships. The effort follows an earlier Sea Launcher demonstration in January and supports potential integration with HII's future ROMULUS unmanned surface vehicles. HII described progress toward end-to-end autonomous handling but did not publish comprehensive performance data or announce fleet-wide operational certification.