U.S. Navy Moves Closer to Submarine-Launched Drone Ops Using REMUS 620

A key dry-run test of the REMUS 620 uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) inside a Virginia-class submarine torpedo tube has been completed by a joint team from HII, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and the U.S. Navy, advancing efforts to enable submarine-launched drone operations.

The test confirmed the REMUS 620 uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) is compatible with the SAFECAP system, Virginia-class weapons handling systems, and the Mk71 torpedo tube at the Navy’s Virginia-class Cradle Payload Integration Facility.

“This clears the way for continued testing in advance of an in-water end-to-end launch and recovery at a U.S. Navy test fixture facility later this summer,” said Adrian Gonsalves, HII’s REMUS 620 product lead.

The REMUS 620, equipped with WHOI’s Yellow Moray docking technology, completed a full end-to-end dry checkout of the AUV/SAFECAP All-Up Round (AUR). The test follows a previous milestone where USS Delaware (SSN 791), built by HII, conducted the first deployed launch and recovery of a Yellow Moray-equipped REMUS 600.

HII is working to expand undersea capabilities for the U.S. Navy using REMUS technology, which supports both autonomous and manned operations. The system is intended to extend mission range, reduce detection risk, and minimize personnel exposure.

The REMUS 620 features an open-architecture design that allows for rapid payload integration and future tech insertions.

Upcoming in-water tests will further assess the REMUS 620’s ability to launch and recover from a submerged submarine, expanding the Navy’s undersea reach.