HII Watcher USV passes DIU test

HII announced that the U.S. United States — Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) officially recognized the successful completion of the Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary (PRIME) prototype project, featuring the Watcher small Unmanned Surface Vessel (sUSV). The Watcher is based on HII's ROMULUS-25 USV and powered by HII's Odyssey Autonomous Control System (ACS). Developed in partnership with MetalCraft Marine, the Watcher successfully met the program's technical objectives and is now positioned for a potential transition to production under Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype agreements. The recognition follows HII's delivery and successful sea testing of two autonomous Watcher ROMULUS-25 vessels in December 2025 under a DIU contract for the U.S. Marine Corps. The vessels completed extensive at-sea testing, demonstrating advanced autonomous mission behaviors across various operational scenarios. DIU's memorandum stated that the Watcher demonstrated its appropriateness to address the Department of the Navy's operational need for sUSV interceptors. HII was selected for the PRIME initiative after a full and open competition that attracted 116 solution briefs. The ROMULUS-25 is a high-speed interceptor capable of carrying payloads up to 1,000 pounds and operating at ranges up to 1,000 nautical miles. This milestone reinforces HII's position as a leader in autonomous maritime systems.