Overview
- HII detailed a plan to expand its ROMULUS uncrewed surface vessel assembly site in New Iberia, Louisiana, and to launch a production initiative called High‑Yield Production Robotics.
- HYPR introduces robotic welding, automated material movement, and digital quality checks inside a dedicated assembly line for these vessels.
- The upgraded Breaux Brothers facility is configured for serial builds across 20‑ to 190‑foot ROMULUS variants using standard tooling and workflows to cut costs and shorten schedules.
- The ROMULUS family uses a modular design built around HII’s Odyssey control system for missions such as intelligence collection, mine countermeasures, strike, and deploying other uncrewed systems.
- HII plans HYPR proof‑of‑concept trials in 2026 and a pilot in early 2027, while the first prototype under construction remains on track for sea trials in the fourth quarter of 2026.