Navy Picks HII’s Remus 300 for Lionfish Underwater Drone Program

The newest Navy diving drone can be carried by two sailors and work with nearby drones to bring a mix of sensors and capabilities to bear on, say, countermine missions. 

On March 18, Naval Sea Systems Command announced that it would be sole-sourcing the Huntington Ingalls Industries Remus 300, a seven-foot, pencil-shaped unmanned underwater vehicle. Developed over two years through a Defense Innovation Unit other transaction authority contract, the drone will fill a requirement in the Navy’s Lionfish drone program. 

It will replace the Navy’s Mk18 Mod 1 Swordfish, also based on HII’s Remus technology, Duane Fotheringham, the president of unmanned systems in HII’s mission technologies division, told reporters Wednesday.

“We found this process to be extremely valuable,” Fotheringham said. “We heard directly from the sailors and the Marines that are going to be operating our equipment in the field. We were able to incorporate that feedback back into the…