HII Celebrates ROMULUS Unmanned Surface Vessel Production Progress for U.S. Navy in Louisiana
Key Highlights
- ➤U.S. Navy awarded HII a contract to build 10 ROMULUS 151 vessels.
- ➤ROMULUS 151 selection advances unmanned maritime operations toward fleet-scale deployment.
- ➤Odyssey autonomy completed a 420-nautical-mile mission over 28 hours.
- ➤HII completed 13 days of Navy-monitored MUSV evaluation testing in the Gulf.
- ➤Louisiana partners support distributed production of HII’s autonomous naval vessels.
Expert Statements
Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana
“Louisiana is the powerhouse of the maritime industry, and today we solidified that legacy. Working with Breaux Brothers and HII, we are committed to ensuring the next generation of maritime technology is built by Louisiana hands on Louisiana soil. We are proud to play an important role in helping the U.S. Navy remain the most powerful and capable of any military in history. This is a great day for Louisiana and a great day for America’s national security.”
Michael Wosje, Vice Admiral and deputy chief of naval operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities (N9)
“Building and fielding the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel is an essential tailored offset within the CNO’s Hedge Strategy, expanding distributed lethality, and maritime domain awareness across contested waters. Leveraging rapid commercial acquisition paths coupled with agile Fleet Introduction, we are integrating combat-ready autonomous capabilities into the Fleet to provide Combatant Commanders with asymmetric options…and we are going to do it fast!”
Chris Kastner, President and CEO of HII
“Louisiana has builders who have been turning aluminum into hard-working boats for generations. And when the U.S. Navy put us to the test in the Gulf, ROMULUS met all the Navy requirements. That's the kind of team we like to assemble, one that can be trusted to compete and win.”
Brannon Breaux, President of Breaux Brothers Enterprises
“For four generations, our family has built vessels right here in Louisiana, and today we are proud to put that experience to work in support of the United States Navy. Building HII’s ROMULUS USV is an opportunity to serve our country in a way that means a great deal to me personally and my shipbuilders. Our craftsmen have spent decades building custom, reliable, aluminum vessels that can perform in the toughest conditions, and now we are bringing that same expertise to the next generation of naval technology.”
NEW IBERIA, La., Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday, HII (NYSE: HII), America’s largest military shipbuilder and the global leader in autonomous seapower, celebrated a milestone in the production of ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for the U.S. Navy during a ceremony in Louisiana, highlighting the state’s vital role in delivering the next generation of autonomous maritime capabilities.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry joined Vice Adm. Michael Wosje, deputy chief of naval operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities (N9); HII President and CEO Chris Kastner; and Breaux Brothers Enterprises President Brannon Breaux for the celebration, which featured the ceremonial installation of a commemorative hull plaque on the first-in-class ROMULUS 151 unmanned surface vessel (USV).
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