ROMULUS 151
HII ROMULUS 151-class large displacement uncrewed underwater vehicle showcased at CNE 2026 for Royal Navy interest.
Last refreshed: 29 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will ROMULUS 151 enter service with the Royal Navy or another European fleet?
Timeline for ROMULUS 151
Showcased at Combined Naval Event 2026 as part of HII subsea autonomy portfolio
Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea: US prime digs into UK seabed war- What is the HII ROMULUS 151?
- ROMULUS 151 is an uncrewed surface vessel under construction by HII, the American shipbuilder. It was showcased at the Combined Naval Event in Farnborough in May 2026 as part of HII's push to supply allied navies with autonomous maritime systems via its Portchester European hub.Source: Naval News
- Is the ROMULUS 151 in service with the Royal Navy?
- No. As of May 2026, ROMULUS 151 is under construction and has not entered service. HII is positioning it for Royal Navy and European naval consideration through its Babcock partnership and Portchester hub.Source: Naval News
Background
ROMULUS 151 is an uncrewed surface vessel under construction by HII, showcased at the Combined Naval Event in Farnborough in May 2026 as part of the company's push to establish a European autonomous maritime presence through its Portchester hub and partnership with Babcock. It is designed for persistent maritime patrol, intelligence-gathering, and force protection roles, representing HII's medium-class USV capability alongside its subsurface REMUS family.
HII's decision to showcase ROMULUS 151 alongside REMUS 600 at Combined Naval Event 2026 signals an intent to offer allied navies a layered autonomous maritime system: subsurface UUVs for mine hunting and seabed survey, and surface USVs for patrol and sensor persistence. The Babcock partnership and enlarged Portchester site position ROMULUS 151 for Royal Navy and wider European procurement consideration.
As of May 2026 ROMULUS 151 is under construction and has not entered service. Its significance is primarily as a signal of HII's investment in medium-class uncrewed surface vessels alongside its established UUV portfolio, at a moment when allied navies are accelerating autonomous systems procurement.
