US Navy Lionfish unmanned underwater vehicle moves to full-rate production after successful reviews.

According to information published by HII on October 10, 2024, the US Navy’s Lionfish small unmanned underwater vehicle (SUUV) has successfully cleared key milestones in its development, setting the stage for full-rate production.
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Lionfish Unmanned Underwater Vehicle. (Picture source: HII)

Following a successful test readiness review (TRR) and production readiness review (PRR), the Lionfish SUUV is now prepared for widespread manufacturing. These reviews assess a system's design, testing processes, and overall readiness for operational deployment.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Lionfish

The Lionfish is derived from HII's REMUS 300 platform, an established UUV known for its flexibility and operational range. The Navy selected the REMUS 300 as the basis for its next-generation small UUV program, recognizing its reliability and suitability for a wide array of tasks. This selection underscores the Navy’s focus on systems that are not only proven in terms of functionality but can also adapt to the changing nature of maritime warfare. In particular, the Lionfish was designed to address needs ranging from mine detection to intelligence gathering and environmental monitoring.

A key aspect of the Lionfish's development has been its open architecture, which allows the vehicle to be outfitted with different payloads based on mission requirements. This approach ensures the system's versatility, making it capable of performing diverse functions across different theaters of operation. This adaptability is crucial, as naval operations increasingly demand multi-purpose tools that can shift between roles. The UUV's payloads could include sensors for detecting underwater mines, equipment for gathering oceanographic data, or systems for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) missions.

The Lionfish was developed through a partnership between HII, the U.S. Navy, and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a part of the Department of Defense (DoD) focused on rapidly transitioning commercial technologies into military applications. The collaboration sought to ensure the vehicle’s design would meet the specific operational needs of naval forces, incorporating feedback from potential users throughout its development.

In October 2023, HII received a contract from the U.S. Navy to build nine Lionfish vehicles, with the potential for the contract to be expanded to as many as 200 units over the next five years. The total value of the contract, should all options be exercised, could reach $347 million.