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Oceaneering International
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Oceaneering International

US subsea engineering and robotics company partnering with Kongsberg on the CAMP XLUUV design.

Oceaneering International, a Houston-based subsea engineering and robotics group, joined Norway's Kongsberg Discovery on 15 July 2026 as the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit's pick to concept a large uncrewed underwater vehicle for its CAMP effort.

Last refreshed: 24 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Can an offshore oil-rig contractor really help build the US Navy's next submarine drone?

Timeline for Oceaneering International

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#10 31 Jul
#7 15 Jul

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Background

Oceaneering International is a Houston-based subsea engineering and robotics group, founded in 1964 to service offshore oil and gas platforms with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Its ROV fleet remains one of the largest commercially operated in the world.

That deep-water engineering base has increasingly extended into subsea robotics, umbilicals and defence-adjacent underwater systems, giving Oceaneering technical grounds to compete for military autonomous-vehicle work despite its roots in commercial offshore services.

Its selection to help design a US Navy uncrewed underwater vehicle positions Oceaneering as a design partner in frontline naval autonomy, sitting alongside allied efforts such as the AUKUS Pillar II seabed-warfare programme.

Key Issues
US Navy design

Oceaneering enters undersea vehicle design

The Defense Innovation Unit named Oceaneering, working alongside Norway's Kongsberg Discovery, on 15 July 2026 to develop a large uncrewed underwater vehicle for the Navy's CAMP effort, with system design targeted for the third quarter of 2026.

The contract marks Oceaneering's move from servicing offshore oil and gas platforms with remotely operated vehicles, a business it has run since 1964, into a next-generation design programme, using deep-water engineering experience that transfers directly from commercial subsea work to military autonomous-vehicle design.

Common Questions

Oceaneering enters undersea vehicle design

Why did the US Navy pick Oceaneering for the CAMP programme?
The Defense Innovation Unit selected Oceaneering alongside Kongsberg Discovery on 15 July 2026 for its deep-water ROV and subsea engineering experience, to design an extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle.Source: The Defense Post
What is Oceaneering International?
A Houston-based subsea engineering and robotics company, founded in 1964, best known for offshore oil and gas remotely operated vehicles, now co-designing a US Navy extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle.Source: Naval Today

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 24 July 2026. Editorial standards.