HII and Shield AI Test ROMULUS Unmanned Vessel in Successful AI-Powered Sea Mission.

HII has completed a three-day sea trial validating AI integration aboard its ROMULUS unmanned surface vessel off the coast of Virginia Beach. The test marks the first maritime deployment of Shield AI’s Hivemind software, advancing U.S. naval autonomy development.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on November 4, 2025, the successful completion of a critical three-day sea trial for its ROMULUS unmanned surface vessel, a significant milestone in advancing autonomous maritime capabilities. Conducted off Virginia Beach in late October, the test was the first integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy with HII’s Odyssey control suite. Aboard the ROMULUS 20 prototype, the integrated system executed mission profiles with minimal human input, demonstrating operational autonomy.
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Artistic rendering of ROMULUS, HII’s modular and AI-enabled unmanned surface vessel, equipped with the Odyssey Autonomous Control System for advanced autonomous maritime operations. (Picture source: HII)

What distinguishes this demonstration is the operational integration of artificial intelligence into ROMULUS’s mission control. Embedding AI at the core enables ROMULUS to execute complex missions with minimal human oversight, even where GPS and communications are degraded. As a result, ROMULUS transitions from a tactical unmanned platform to an intelligent, independent asset that adapts to threats, reroutes in real time, and coordinates with allied vessels.

The ROMULUS program represents a shift in unmanned surface vessel development for the U.S. and its allies. Unlike many experimental USVs, ROMULUS is designed for fast production, endurance, and flexible missions. Developed by HII, the largest U.S. military shipbuilder, ROMULUS uses a commercial hull design, supporting scalable, cost-effective production while using existing supply chains. The line includes several variants, starting with ROMULUS 20 from recent trials and extending to the operational ROMULUS 190.

ROMULUS 190, currently under construction, is a larger platform designed to meet naval requirements for speed, range, and payload capacity. It will exceed 25 knots in top speed, operate autonomously for up to 2,500 nautical miles, and carry four 40-foot ISO containers for mission payloads. These containers can be configured for a wide variety of operations, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), electronic warfare, communications relay, and even kinetic strike missions. Its modularity allows commanders to tailor each deployment to the mission at hand, offering unprecedented operational flexibility from a single platform type.

The real innovation, however, lies in the digital infrastructure. The Odyssey autonomy suite, developed by HII, manages platform-level control systems, including propulsion, navigation, collision avoidance, and system diagnostics. The recent integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind software over Odyssey has given ROMULUS advanced capabilities. This integration enables autonomous mission planning, dynamic task reallocation, and adaptive responses to uncertain environments. ROMULUS can now execute intent-based commands, enabling greater operational flexibility, efficiency, and adaptability in distributed naval missions.

This capability is vital as the U.S. Navy shifts toward distributed operations and manned-unmanned team concepts. Large crewed ships cannot cover all areas, but AI-enabled vessels like ROMULUS extend the fleet’s reach and persist in dangerous zones without direct control. Whether with a group or alone, ROMULUS can collect ISR data, disrupt sensors, act as a decoy, or deliver both non-lethal and lethal effects.

Adding AI to ROMULUS’s mission control also enables coordinated multi-agent operations. With advanced software, a single operator could control a swarm of ROMULUS vessels, each adjusting its position, priority, and behavior based on shared data and changing conditions. This creates a resilient, adaptive force that can overwhelm adversaries using dispersion, deception, and speed.

As U.S. and allied naval forces prepare for contested Indo-Pacific operations, the value of AI-powered unmanned systems like ROMULUS becomes clear. They reduce personnel risk, expand operational reach, and offer flexibility and survivability beyond legacy systems. The recent trial is a critical step toward realizing this vision.

With more tests planned and ROMULUS 190 nearing launch, HII is advancing toward a fully autonomous, mission-ready USV for next-generation naval warfare. Continued updates will follow as deployment approaches.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.