HII boosts ROMULUS USV production

June 9, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

America’s largest military shipbuilder HII has partnered with Bayou Metal Supply & Manufacturing to accelerate the serial production of HII’s ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

As informed, the company launched a dedicated manufacturing line to support the accelerated construction of the platform. The new production line, located in Slidell, Louisiana, provides precision cutting, bending, welding, and assembly of major structural components into complete assembly units ready for shipment to Breaux Brothers Enterprises for final integration into the ROMULUS USV platform.

Bayou Metals is playing a critical role on HII’s ROMULUS USV shipbuilding team as a strategic aluminum supply and fabrication partner. The firm is providing marine-grade aluminum while establishing dedicated manufacturing capacity to meet the ROMULUS USV production schedule.

“As we move from prototype to production, partnerships like Bayou Metals are essential to delivering capability at speed and scale,” said Andy Green, executive vice president of HII and president of HII’s Mission Technologies division.

“Their ability to combine material supply with advanced fabrication strengthens our production model, reduces risk, and accelerates delivery the ROMULUS USV to the fleet.”

“Bayou Metal is proud to continue its longstanding relationship with and support of industry leaders such as HII and Breaux Brothers. We remain committed to providing world-class service, quality materials, and trusted partnerships to the marine and shipbuilding sectors for years to come,” William Stout, chief executive officer of Bayou Metal stated.

HII’s integrated coordination with Bayou Metals and other manufacturing partners ensures avoiding delays in securing materials and building parts.

In addition to improving manufacturing performance, the effort supports expansion of the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base by growing Gulf Coast manufacturing capacity and building a larger skilled workforce.

HII recently announced plans for the production of four ROMULUS 151 vessels to be built by Breaux Brothers Enterprises in Louisiana, in addition to the vessel currently under construction. The announcement signals a rapid transition to initial production as HII accelerates delivery of autonomous surface capability to the US Navy and allied partners.

HII kicks off production of four more ROMULUS USVs

UUV/UAV
HII to expand ROMULUS USV assembly facility

Industry

ROMULUS is a modular family of AI-enabled USVs designed to support a wide range of missions, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), mine countermeasures, strike operations, counter-unmanned systems, and the launch and recovery of unmanned underwater and aerial vehicles.

“ROMULUS represents a shift in how we deliver unmanned capability to the fleet,” Green said.

“We are combining shipbuilding experience, scalable manufacturing, proven autonomy, and strong industry partnerships to move quickly from prototype to operational deployment.”