Australian firm commissions first US export LUUV

May 5, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Australian tech company C2 Robotics had commissioned and christened its Speartooth large uncrewed undersea vehicle (LUUV), the first to be delivered to the United States.

While ship christenings are a longstanding naval tradition, this event is a first for C2 Robotics and was conducted with a modern twist, as it was christened by a robotic arm.

The Speartooth LUUV has been designed to deliver scalable, cost-effective undersea capability across intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike missions.

Its smaller size enables it to operate in contested environments and generate force mass in ways that traditional platforms cannot, according to the company.

“This is a proud and important step for our company,” said Troy Duggan, CEO of C2 Robotics.

“We don’t typically conduct christening ceremonies for all of our boats, but this moment reflects the maturity of the Speartooth program and the strength of our partnership with the United States. The LUUV program is incredibly fast paced with payload options and mission roles continuously expanding,” he added.

The Australian Navy will also operate the Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle, together with the Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-UUV), and the Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessel (USV).

The navy recently named the new Maritime Autonomous Systems Unit (MASU), marking a new step in its transition to a more integrated and highly advanced technology‑enabled future force.