Key facts
- HD Hyundai said the 600-ton vessel carries its VAone autonomous navigation solution and Anduril's Lattice platform.
- HD Hyundai said the vessel can conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and maritime intelligence-gathering missions without a crew.
- HD Hyundai plans sea trials off Ulsan before further testing in the US early next year.
HD Hyundai Co. said on November 15, 2026, that it had launched an autonomous surface vessel developed jointly with US defense firm Anduril Industries, as the South Korean shipbuilder seeks to expand into the US market for unmanned naval vessels.
The two companies held a launching ceremony at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.'s shipyard in Ulsan, about 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Thursday, November 12. The 600-ton vessel is equipped with VAone, an autonomous navigation solution developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., and Anduril's Lattice platform. HD Hyundai said it can conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and maritime intelligence-gathering missions without a crew.
HD Hyundai plans to conduct sea trials off Ulsan before further testing in the US early next year to gather operational data as it seeks to enter the US Navy's unmanned vessel market. The US Navy is pursuing a hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned vessels; in September it announced plans to procure 30 medium-sized autonomous surface vessels.
The launch follows a demonstration by the two companies of a 368-ton autonomous test vessel near the Port of Long Beach in California in October, according to the report.