HII and Shield AI have completed the first major test of their integrated autonomy system on HII’s ROMULUS unmanned surface vessel, marking the initial maritime deployment of Shield AI’s Hivemind mission autonomy software.
The three-day trial took place in late October off Virginia Beach. The demonstration integrated Hivemind, using Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise software development kit, with HII’s Odyssey autonomy suite onboard a ROMULUS 20 USV. The test followed the announcement of the partnership less than six weeks earlier.
“This collaboration between HII and Shield AI showcases how adaptable autonomy frameworks can accelerate development,” said Andy Green, president of HII’s Mission Technologies division. “Using the Hivemind Enterprise SDK, our teams integrated capabilities quickly and effectively. The successful deployment on ROMULUS 20 validates the power of this partnership and paves the way for even greater autonomy across the ROMULUS fleet.”
The ROMULUS program is centered on modular unmanned vessels built on commercial-standard hulls for faster production and mission flexibility. The lead ship, ROMULUS 190, is under construction. It is designed to exceed 25 knots, operate up to 2,500 nautical miles, and carry four 40-foot ISO containers. ROMULUS 190 will incorporate both the Odyssey autonomy suite and Hivemind.
Hivemind is designed to enable unmanned platforms to operate in GPS- and communications-denied environments. While it has been used operationally in aerial systems, this marks its expansion into maritime applications. Under the partnership, Hivemind and Odyssey will be integrated across the ROMULUS fleet to support unmanned operations alongside crewed naval formations and to enable multi-agent autonomous coordination.
“Delivering autonomy across domains is key to maintaining a credible deterrent posture in today’s complex geopolitical environment. Each integration strengthens Hivemind’s role as the leading autonomy solution for defense systems,” said Nathan Michael, Shield AI’s chief technology officer and head of the Hivemind business unit. “Through close collaboration with HII and the shared use of Shield AI’s modular, open architecture SDK, we integrated advanced maritime capabilities in less than six weeks — work that typically takes months or years. We look forward to continuing to expand multi-domain autonomy together.”
ROMULUS is supported by HII’s Dark Sea Labs Advanced Technology Group and powered by the Odyssey autonomy suite. Odyssey is currently fielded on more than 35 USV platforms and over 750 REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles across 30 countries, including 14 NATO members.
