HII has won a US Navy order to build 10 ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels under the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel effort. The company's award announcement is dated September 29, 2026, preceding early October coverage and a separate October 28 production update.
The Navy's September 29 statement announced production agreements with HII, Galliano Marine Services and Saronic Technologies for 10 vessels each. It gave an average procurement cost of $40 million per vessel across the purchase, not a separately identified value for HII's contract.
The award and the factory updates are separate
WorkBoat covered the award on October 2, noting that HII had disclosed neither the contract value nor a delivery schedule. The Navy said the program's first vessels should arrive before the end of fiscal 2027, September 30, 2027, without publishing a timetable for all 10 HII vessels.
HII's October 28 release instead described a construction celebration held the previous day in New Iberia, Louisiana. A commemorative plaque was installed on the first ROMULUS 151 hull. This was a production milestone under the existing order, not another award for 10 ships.
The company identifies Breaux Brothers Enterprises, Halimar Shipyard and Bayou Metal Supply & Manufacturing as Louisiana production partners. Breaux Brothers is building in New Iberia; HII's distributed approach assigns component and assembly work across its regional network before final integration.
A separate September 22 facility announcement concerned Pocasset, Massachusetts, where HII added 10,000 square feet to an existing 40,000 square feet. That site supports underwater vehicles and ROMULUS autonomy hardware, software integration, simulation and modeling, rather than representing a newly announced Louisiana hull yard.
What the Navy wants from an unmanned vessel
A medium unmanned surface vessel is a reusable maritime platform designed to navigate and carry mission equipment without a permanent onboard crew. Its value depends on the payload, communications and control arrangements, rather than on an empty hull alone.
The Navy describes the platforms as a way to distribute adaptable capability across contested waters while reducing sailors' exposure. Sensors, weapons and other modular equipment can be integrated for different missions; the award does not establish that every proposed payload is already qualified.
HII says its Odyssey autonomy system handles navigation, onboard systems and payloads, and coordination with other vessels with limited human intervention. In the September award release, it reported 13 days of Navy monitored evaluation, including a 420 nautical mile mission completed in 28 hours.
Fleet integration remains a separate task
The Navy awarded production agreements using Other Transaction Authority after evaluating autonomous navigation, environmental awareness and endurance. Its September statement also described a second phase for integration and testing, showing that platform selection and operational integration are distinct steps.
The service assigns fielding and integration work to its robotic and autonomous systems acquisition organization, alongside a warfare development center responsible for tactics, training and operational experience. The HII order establishes a manufacturing commitment, not confirmation that 10 vessels have been delivered or incorporated into operational formations.