Overview
- After Phase One at-sea testing, the Navy awarded Other Transaction Authority production contracts to Galliano Marine Services, HII and Saronic to build 10 MUSVs each.
- The three non-winning Phase One teams received $15 million apiece and placement in the Defense Department’s drone marketplace to keep them in the supply and evaluation pipeline.
- Production is set to start immediately at Louisiana yards with the Navy citing average construction costs near $40 million per hull and deliveries possible by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027.
- HII competed with its ROMULUS family using the Odyssey Autonomous Control System, underscoring that autonomy software, vessel performance, manufacturability, schedule and cost drove selections.
- The Navy opened a Phase Two solicitation to preserve competition and expand MUSV types while the service declined to discuss ongoing litigation over the Phase One prototype awards.