HII, manufacturer of autonomous surface and underwater unmanned vehicles, has doubled the size of its unmanned facility in Portchester UK.
~
Press Release, Portchester, 12 January 2026: HII, the world’s leading manufacturer of autonomous surface and underwater unmanned vehicles, has doubled the size of its unmanned facility in Portchester, UK.
The enlarged facility significantly enhances and strengthens the company’s presence in the United Kingdom and increases capacity and support for the UK Royal Navy and European partners that operate the REMUS line of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
In addition to supporting regional unmanned customers, the Portchester facility will serve as a European hub for HII’s Mission Technologies division, enabling collaborative customer support for US combatant commands and allied missions. The site will provide operational, technical, and logistics support to deploy, sustain, and integrate electronic warfare and C5ISR systems, fleet modernisation efforts, artificial intelligence capabilities, and live, virtual, and constructive training.
The facility also prepares the region for the deployment and sustainment of HII’s ROMULUS family of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), a modular AI-enabled line powered by HII’s Odyssey Autonomous Control System and scheduled for availability in 2026. HII’s unmanned platforms are known for modular design, long endurance and reliable field performance. They support defence, commercial and research missions that include mine countermeasures, hydrographic survey, intelligence collection and environmental monitoring.
The expanded Portchester facility will operate as a strengthened regional hub for HII’s unmanned systems. Staffed by UK employees, it will drive new jobs and support supplier engagement, maintenance, training and long-term sustainment for operators across the UK and Europe. The site will also work in close coordination with HII’s global engineering, production, training and mission support teams to keep programmes aligned and effective.
Duane Fotheringham, president of Mission Technologies’ Unmanned Systems business group, said, “This new HII Portchester facility reinforces HII’s long term presence in the United Kingdom and provides a strong foundation for future cooperation. It ensures that UK and European operators, suppliers, and partners of ROMULUS USVs and REMUS UUVs receive regional access to world class support, training and sustainment.”
REMUS UUV Family of Systems: REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles are the world’s leading UUV. They use an open-architecture design that supports the rapid integration of new payloads, mission-specific configurations, and future upgrades that ensure operators keep pace with evolving challenges and requirements while managing costs. REMUS systems are in service with more than 30 countries, including 14 NATO members, and are known for dependable operation, advanced sensor performance, and a strong record in mine hunting, reconnaissance and underwater survey missions.
In September, Babcock International Group and HII signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate HII’s REMUS vehicles with Babcock’s submarine Weapon Handling and Launch Systems. The goal is autonomous launch and recovery of UUVs through submarine torpedo tubes, strengthening undersea advantage for allied navies. The partnership builds on the US Navy’s first successful forward-deployed torpedo-tube launch and recovery of a UUV using a REMUS. Babcock’s Weapon Handling and Launch Systems are in service with submarine fleets in the UK, Canada, Australia, Spain and South Korea.
The Royal Navy has a long partnership with REMUS. Since 2001, the Ministry of Defence has acquired REMUS 100, REMUS 300 and REMUS 600 vehicles for mine countermeasure operations. In 2024, HII announced the sale of three REMUS 100s and five REMUS 300s to the Royal Navy. This order reflects confidence in the upgrade potential and build quality of HII systems and builds on more than two decades of cooperation. The first two REMUS 100s delivered in 2001 remain in active service today.
The REMUS Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) provides high resolution seabed imaging and precise navigation, giving naval teams a fast and reliable tool to counter underwater threats. The REMUS line includes several variants, each designed for specific mission sets and operating depths. The numbering reflects operational depth and generation.
- REMUS 130: Compact and optimised for shallow-water operations and rapid deployment.
- REMUS 300: Offers increased range and payload capacity in a lightweight form. Serves as the baseline for the US Navy’s Lionfish programme.
- REMUS 620: Features modular upgrades, modernised electronics, battery life up to 110 hours, and a range of 275 nautical miles. Recently supported submarine launch and recovery operations for the US Navy Submarine Force.
- REMUS 6000: Operates at depths up to 6,000 meters and is used for deep-sea recovery and complex scientific work.
All REMUS models share a common architecture, allowing operators to scale capability while maintaining system familiarity. More than 90% of REMUS units delivered over the past 23 years remain in service. This highlights the platform’s durability and lifecycle value, two critical factors in defence acquisition.
REMUS Track Record:
- Defence: Used by 14 NATO navies for mine warfare, ISR, and seabed mapping.
- Search and Recovery: Played key roles in the search for Air France Flight 447, post-tsunami response in Japan, and the discovery of USS Indianapolis (CA 35).
- Science and Environment: Supports environmental monitoring, marine archaeology, and oceanographic research. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is deploying REMUS 620 systems to map seafloor habitats affected by the Deepwater Horizon spill.
HII ROMULUS USV Family of Systems: HII’s ROMULUS family is a modular, AI-enabled line of USVs powered by the Odyssey Autonomous Control System. The flagship, ROMULUS 190, is currently under construction with sea trials planned for 2026.
ROMULUS is built on a commercial-standard hull for rapid, repeatable production. It delivers speeds over 25 knots and a range of 2,500 nautical miles. Large versions of the ROMULUS are capable of carrying four 40-foot ISO containers. ROMULUS is purpose built for global mission deployment and extended autonomous operations.
Powered by the Odyssey ACS, ROMULUS delivers open-ocean autonomy, multi-agent swarming, and modular adaptability. It supports missions that include ISR, counter-unmanned air systems, mine countermeasures, strike, and launch and recovery of UUVs and UAVs.
~
