HII and Shield AI Partner on Autonomy for ROMULUS USVs

HII and Shield AI have successfully completed the first major test of their integrated autonomy solution aboard HII’s ROMULUS unmanned surface vessel (USV).

The three-day test, conducted in late October in Virginia Beach, Virginia, integrated Shield AI’s combat-proven Hivemind autonomy software, using the Hivemind Enterprise software development kit (SDK), with HII’s Odyssey autonomy suite onboard a ROMULUS 20 USV.

The test also marked the first maritime deployment of Hivemind, which enables AI-powered mission autonomy across domains.

The milestone was achieved less than six weeks after the companies announced their partnership, demonstrating rapid adaptability, advanced capabilities, and strong collaboration between the two defense technology leaders.

ROMULUS is a modular, high-performance USV line built on commercial-standard hulls for fast production and operational flexibility. The lead vessel, ROMULUS 190, is currently under construction. Designed to exceed 25 knots and operate up to 2,500 nautical miles, ROMULUS 190 will carry four 40-foot ISO containers and feature both Odyssey and Hivemind for next-gen autonomous performance.

Hivemind enables unmanned systems to perform complex missions even in GPS- and communications-denied environments. Proven in aerial operations, Hivemind is now expanding into the maritime domain through this partnership with HII, supporting rapid development and deployment of autonomous capabilities across domains.

Under this partnership, Hivemind and Odyssey will integrate into the ROMULUS fleet to operate seamlessly alongside crewed strike groups and surface action groups, while also enabling multi-agent autonomy and intelligent operations.