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October 26, 2023 — In a strategic move to bolster its subsurface fleet, the U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a pivotal development contract to industry leaders Kongsberg and Oceaneering. The partnership, facilitated by the Defense Innovation Unit's (DIU) Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP) initiative, is tasked with conceptualizing and designing a next-generation Extra-Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV), with a key design milestone set for 2026. This decision underscores a concerted push to integrate advanced, commercially-derived robotic systems into core naval missions.
The CAMP program functions as a critical bridge, accelerating the transition of mature commercial and defense technologies into operational naval capabilities. By focusing on modularity and interoperability from the outset, the program ensures that the resulting XLUUV designs can be rapidly integrated with existing fleet assets and adapt to evolving mission requirements. This approach mitigates traditional procurement risks and aims to deliver a more flexible and cost-effective undersea platform.
This development is not an isolated effort but a core component of the U.S. Navy's broader force structure evolution toward a more distributed and autonomous fleet. The service is actively pursuing a layered "hybrid fleet" model, where high-end crewed vessels are complemented by a scalable network of uncrewed surface and subsurface vehicles. The XLUUV is envisioned as a key node in this network, capable of prolonged, long-range missions for intelligence gathering, seabed warfare, or payload delivery, thereby extending the fleet's reach and persistence while reducing risk to manned submarines.
The contractor team brings a complementary and formidable set of skills to the table. Norway's Kongsberg contributes decades of proven expertise in maritime and undersea systems, including the widely deployed HUGIN autonomous underwater vehicles. Oceaneering, a U.S.-based firm, adds deep operational knowledge in complex subsea robotics, remote operations, and full lifecycle support services. "This partnership merges Kongsberg's cutting-edge technology with our global experience in delivering and sustaining subsea systems," stated Bill Merz, Senior Vice President at Oceaneering, highlighting the synergy intended to produce a world-class solution.
Exclusive Perspective: The Undersea "Orion" Constellation Analysts point to a strategic parallel between this initiative and modern space operations. Just as satellite constellations like Starlink provide resilient communications, a future fleet of XLUUVs could form an intelligent, mobile "constellation" across vast ocean areas. This network would provide persistent situational awareness, create tactical dilemmas for adversaries, and serve as a forward-deployed sensor or effector grid. The CAMP program's emphasis on open architecture is crucial here, allowing for the seamless integration of new sensors, communication payloads, or weapon systems as technology evolves, much like adding new apps to a smartphone platform.
This award follows a series of strategic investments by the U.S. and its allies in uncrewed maritime systems. Earlier this year, the U.S. Navy moved to operationalize its first Medium Uncrewed Surface Vessels (MUSVs), the Seahawk and Sea Hunter. Furthermore, collaborative efforts are expanding, as seen in the recent 10-year partnership between Canada’s Cellula Robotics and U.S. firm Metron to deliver autonomous undersea systems. These parallel developments signal a sector-wide acceleration, with the Kongsberg-Oceaneering XLUUV project representing a significant leap in scale and capability for subsurface drones.
The successful development of an XLUUV will have profound implications for future undersea warfare and strategic competition. By deploying affordable, attritable autonomous systems, the Navy can increase its operational tempo, cover more maritime territory, and complicate an adversary's targeting picture. The project also strengthens the transatlantic defense industrial base, combining European technological innovation with American integration and sustainment prowess. As the design phase progresses toward its 2026 delivery, this program will be a key indicator of the Pentagon's ability to rapidly innovate and reshape maritime power for the 21st century.
