First Female Dive Crew Operates a DMUV
Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Undersea Solutions Group (USG) subsidiary made history in June as its two female divers became the first women to crew and drive a dual-mode underwater vehicle (DMUV), the company announced. Chloe Mallet, an ocean engineer, and Andrea Raff, a mechanical engineer, crewed and operated USG's Proteus, a submersible able to operate as a manned swimmer delivery vehicle (SDV) and as an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV). Certified rescue divers Mallet and Raff underwent extensive training with Proteus and assist with its maintenance. To prepare for operating
HII Acquires Engineering Solutions Division
vice president and Newport News Shipbuilding president. “We believe the combination of Newport News and ESD expertise will enable us to compete successfully in the unmanned underwater vehicle market, and we are excited to welcome ESD to our team.” ESD will operate as Undersea Solutions Group, a subsidiary of HII, and will report to Newport News Shipbuilding’s Submarine and Fleet Support division. “As the Navy moves toward greater employment of unmanned vehicles in both the surface and undersea domains, it makes great strategic sense to bring together a builder
February 2026
