HII, MetalCraft Marine Deliver Next-Generation Autonomous USV Prototypes for U.S. Marine Corps
Rhea-AI Summary
HII (NYSE:HII), with MetalCraft Marine, delivered and sea tested two ROMULUS-25 autonomous unmanned surface vessel prototypes for a Defense Innovation Unit contract supporting the U.S. Marine Corps.
The 27-foot vessels use HII’s Odyssey AI autonomy, have up to 1,000-pound payload capacity and 1,000-nautical-mile range, and build on more than 12,000 hours of validated at-sea autonomous operations.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Positive
- Delivery and successful sea testing of two ROMULUS-25 USV prototypes for U.S. Marine Corps
- ROMULUS-25 payload capacity up to 1,000 pounds and 1,000-nautical-mile range
- Odyssey autonomy validated with over 2,200 hours in government-led autonomous operations
- Odyssey deployed on more than 30 platforms with 12,000+ at-sea operating hours
- Integration with HII Minotaur targeting network via modular open systems architecture
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – HII
On the day this news was published, HII declined 3.20%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
HII gained 0.82% while peers were mixed: DRS up 0.42%, AVAV up 3.29%, KTOS up 3.96%, but ERJ down 0.54% and WWD down 1.95%, pointing to stock-specific drivers around this autonomy news.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12 | Facility visit | Positive | +0.2% | Congressional defense leader visit highlighting submarine and carrier construction. |
| May 08 | Ship delivery | Positive | +0.5% | Flight III destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128) departure and pipeline update. |
| May 08 | Workforce recruiting | Positive | +0.5% | High school seniors committing to shipbuilding careers and apprenticeships. |
| May 07 | Employer award | Positive | -1.5% | Best Employers award for health care value and well-being initiatives. |
| May 05 | Earnings report | Positive | -10.3% | Q1 2026 revenue and backlog growth with reaffirmed full-year guidance. |
Operational and ship delivery news has typically coincided with modest gains, while recognition/award and earnings headlines have seen some negative follow-through.
Recent news for HII has focused on shipbuilding milestones, workforce development, and financial performance. On May 5, 2026, Q1 results showed higher revenue and backlog but the stock fell 10.25%. Subsequent news on awards, recruiting, and facility visits in early May drew relatively small price moves between about -1.51% and +0.5%. Today’s autonomous USV prototype delivery fits the pattern of operational capability updates within its defense portfolio.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights HII’s delivery and testing of ROMULUS-25 autonomous USVs, powered by the Odyssey autonomy suite with more than 12,000 at-sea hours across over 30 platforms. It underscores a broader USV portfolio spanning 7- to 190-foot vessels. In context of recent revenue of $3.1B and backlog of $54.0B, investors may watch how autonomy contracts, platform deployments, and defense customer adoption evolve over time.
Key Terms
unmanned surface vessels technical
autonomous operation technical
ai-based autonomy system technical
modular open systems architecture (mosa) technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
MCLEAN, Va., May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII), in partnership with MetalCraft Marine, has delivered and sea tested two unmanned surface vessels (USV) awarded in a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract for smaller form factor autonomous boat prototypes for the U.S. Marine Corps.
The two ROMULUS-25 autonomous USVs were delivered in December 2025 and supported successful testing and demonstration of advanced autonomous mission behaviors at sea.
“Successfully delivering on this prototype contract with the Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Marine Corps is a strong recognition of HII’s deep experience and the maturity of our proven autonomous technologies,” said Andy Green, executive vice president of HII and president of HII’s Mission Technologies division. “The ROMULUS-25, powered by our Odyssey autonomy suite, builds on thousands of hours of successful at-sea operations and demonstrates how scalable, AI-enabled unmanned systems can extend the reach, endurance, and effectiveness of naval forces.”
The ROMULUS-25 is a 27-foot high-speed interceptor vessel designed to deliver up to 1,000 pounds of payload with a range of up to 1,000 nautical miles. Fully capable of autonomous operation, the vessel is powered by HII’s Odyssey AI-based autonomy system, which integrates multiple sensors and effectors to enable coordinated, cross-domain maritime operations in support of the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as U.S. and allied navies.
Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://hii.com/news/hii-metalcraft-marine-deliver-next-generation-autonomous-usv-prototypes-for-us-marine-corps/,
Over the past five years, Odyssey autonomy has been validated through more than 2,200 hours of autonomous operations during government-led tests and exercises.
Odyssey autonomy has been deployed on more than 30 platforms, accumulating over 12,000 hours of successful at-sea operations. Its modular open systems architecture (MOSA), service-based design enables integration with the HII Minotaur targeting network, enhancing mission-level operations and edge capabilities through AI-based contact recognition and identification.
The ROMULUS-25 is part of HII’s broader family of USVs, which range from 7-foot micro-USVs to the ROMULUS-190, a 190-foot aluminum USV capable of carrying multiple containerized payloads.
The successful execution of this award represents one of several ongoing commitments by HII and MetalCraft Marine to advance hybrid manned-unmanned fleet capabilities and enable next-generation autonomous operations in support of naval missions worldwide.
About HII
HII is America’s largest shipbuilder, delivering the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain mission technologies, including unmanned systems, to U.S. and allied defense customers. HII is the largest producer of unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy and the world.
With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII builds and integrates defense capabilities extending from the core fleet to C6ISR, AI/ML, EW and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:
- HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/
- HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII
- HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII
- HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII
- HII on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearehii
Contact:
Greg McCarthy
(202) 264-7126
gregory.j.mccarthy@hii-co.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d6b40bfd-e528-4bd8-9a90-4061ac27b6ab
