U.S. Navy Unmanned Fleet Effort Advances as Hyundai and Anduril Demonstrate Autonomous Vessel.

As the U.S. Navy accelerates efforts to expand its fleet of unmanned surface vessels, South Korea's HD Hyundai and American defense technology company Anduril have successfully demonstrated autonomous navigation and mission-management capabilities aboard an experimental vessel off Long Beach, California. Announced on October 19, 2026, the three-and-a-half-hour trial tested autonomous navigation, formation maneuvers, mission adjustments, and responses to simulated machinery failures, highlighting technologies that could support future U.S. Navy unmanned maritime operations.

The demonstration paired HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering’s VAone system, derived from the Avikus HiNAS Prime navigation suite, with Anduril's Lattice command architecture to manage uncrewed vessel operations. (Picture source: HD Hyundai)

As the U.S. Navy expands its research, testing and operational use of unmanned surface vessels, South Korean group HD Hyundai and American company Anduril have conducted autonomous navigation trials off Long Beach, California. According to HD Hyundai's announcement on October 19, 2026, the three-and-a-half-hour demonstration involved a modified 368-ton experimental vessel previously operated by the U.S. Navy. The trial assessed the ability of the companies' integrated systems to navigate autonomously, coordinate formation maneuvers, adapt to changing mission requirements and respond to simulated machinery failures. These capabilities are intended to reduce the need for continuous operator intervention, allowing naval forces to conduct unmanned missions with greater operational flexibility while maintaining shore-based supervision.

The demonstrator combines two distinct systems. VAone, developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, manages the vessel's autonomous functions. Based on HiNAS Prime, a technology developed by the subsidiary Avikus, it integrates machinery monitoring, anomaly detection and damage control functions. According to HD Hyundai, these automated functions can trigger responses when equipment malfunctions. Their purpose is to limit the consequences of an incident before it interrupts the mission, without requiring the permanent presence of technicians on board. The exact nature of possible interventions is not detailed, however. Anduril's Lattice software is responsible for autonomous mission management and the coordination of assets. It is designed to allow a vessel's tasks to be modified without constantly transmitting individual piloting commands.

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This separation between navigation and mission control is of interest for operations involving several unmanned vessels. An operator could supervise their objectives rather than individually control each maneuver. This possibility depends, however, on system integration and the reliability of communications. During the test, both companies simulated autonomous navigation, mission changes, formation maneuvers and an emergency response to a machinery failure. A shore-based control station monitored their progress in real time. Nearly forty US and South Korean representatives were present, including personnel from the US Navy, the Coast Guard, the South Korean Navy and the American Bureau of Shipping. However, the demonstration does not constitute validation over an extended period. There are no publicly available data on endurance at sea, performance in bad weather or the resistance of communications to jamming.

The statement also mentions weapons-related functions, without documenting any live-fire test. For a navy, the operational value goes beyond the mere absence of a crew. Depending on its future configuration, an autonomous vessel could participate in maritime surveillance, maintain a forward presence or supplement the sensors of crewed vessels without directly exposing sailors. Adapting its route and missions could also make it easier to maintain formation or respond to new orders. However, these advantages require suitable sensors, secure communications links, reliable obstacle detection and human oversight procedures. No specific reconnaissance equipment or weapons were presented as having been validated during this test. Industrial cooperation began in 2024 and expanded into the joint development of autonomous surface vessels in 2025, when HD Hyundai and Anduril initiated the development of autonomous surface vessels.

According to Defense One, their ambition combines the shipbuilding capabilities of the Korean group with US mission software, with the prospect of production in the United States. A separate prototype from the vessel used at Long Beach is currently under construction at HD Hyundai's shipyard in Ulsan. According to Yonhap, its launch is planned for November 2026, before trials off the US coast. This step remains planned and has not yet taken place. The test comes as the US Navy is accelerating its acquisition of autonomous vessels. On September 29, 2026, it announced agreements for thirty medium-sized unmanned surface vessels, divided between Galliano Marine Services, HII and Saronic Technologies. HD Hyundai and Anduril are not among the three contract recipients.

The US Navy states that its assessments include collision avoidance, maritime situational awareness and the ability to sustain an extended mission. These criteria show the requirements that manufacturers will have to meet to move from a technical demonstration to operational use. Another limitation concerns the integration of autonomous systems into naval forces. In a June 2026 report, the Government Accountability Office noted organizational and coordination difficulties that still hinder their development within the US Navy. For the Korean and American partners, the next steps will therefore have to demonstrate the repeatability of the maneuvers, the reliability of the automated systems and their integration into existing procedures. This demonstration illustrates closer cooperation between the South Korean and American naval industries on fleets combining crewed and uncrewed vessels. It does not yet demonstrate that an autonomous combat vessel is ready for active service. Its military value will depend on tests of the new prototype, the maturity of onboard systems and a potential acquisition decision.

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