Autonomous Edge: REMUS 620 Validated for Submarine Torpedo Tube Deployment
In a breakthrough for autonomous undersea warfare, HII, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center have successfully validated the REMUS 620 uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) for torpedo tube deployment from Virginia-class submarines.
By Jarryd Sinovich
This milestone confirms full compatibility with submarine weapons systems, including the Mk71 torpedo tube and SAFECAP interface, using WHOI’s Yellow Moray docking technology. The validation occurred at the Navy’s Cradle Payload Integration Facility, where the REMUS 620 completed a dry-run in its All-Up Round (AUR) configuration.
“This clears the way for full in-water launch and recovery testing later this summer,” noted Adrian Gonsalves, REMUS 620 product lead at HII.
The achievement builds on a precedent set by the USS Delaware, which became the first sub to deploy and recover a REMUS 600 using the same modular tech.
With this success, the REMUS 620 is now poised to become a core enabler of stealthy, mission-flexible autonomous operations—from mine countermeasures and ISR to seabed warfare—further advancing the U.S. Navy’s strategy for uncrewed undersea dominance.
