Underwater Drones Market Size & Share 2026-2035

Underwater Drones Market Size

The underwater drones market was valued at USD 4.10 billion in 2025, is expected to reach USD 4.66 billion in 2026, and is projected to grow at a 10.9% CAGR (2026-2035) to reach USD 11.58 billion by 2035. The market covers new vehicle-system revenue from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and hybrid unmanned vehicles (HUVs), including integrated payloads sold with the platform.

The underwater drones market is moving from a specialized subsea-equipment category toward a strategically important capability market. Defense buyers are accelerating demand for persistent underwater surveillance and mine-countermeasure systems, while offshore energy, cable operators, and scientific institutions are widening the commercial mission base for inspection, mapping, and data collection. Battery performance, onboard computing, and pressure-tolerant systems are expanding the set of missions that can be completed without continuous human intervention.

Underwater Drones Market Trends, Growth Drivers & GMI Forecast Outlook

Defense procurement is setting the early demand cadence for underwater drones, while commercial adoption broadens through asset inspection, seabed intelligence, and survey missions. The outlook depends on whether procurement commitments translate into production capacity and whether autonomous operations gain workable regulatory pathways in commercial maritime environments.

Key Drivers

*Evidence anchors use cited external data; demand implications and forecast conditions represent GMI analysis.*

Government acquisition programs matter because they define the technical baseline that suppliers must meet for endurance, navigation resilience, payload integration, and secure communications. The U.S. budget commitment to Orca reflects the movement of extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles from experimentation toward operational procurement, creating a reference point for allied naval programs. ^{[1]U.S. Department of the Navy. “FY 2026 President's Budget Press Brief.” secnav.navy.mil}

Australia's Ghost Shark procurement adds a separate sovereign demand center rather than simply extending the U.S. market cycle. The program validates domestic industrial participation as part of undersea capability acquisition, increasing the likelihood that procurement decisions will also influence regional manufacturing, qualification, and supplier relationships. ^{[2]Reuters. “Australia to spend $1.1 billion on Anduril undersea drone fleet.” reuters.com}

The commercial consequence of this defense-led technology cycle is important but indirect. A platform able to exchange payloads and execute multiple mission types can improve fleet utilization for cable surveys, seabed mapping, and infrastructure monitoring. Kongsberg's completed U.S. Navy acceptance testing for HUGIN Superior illustrates the direction of travel toward systems that combine depth capability with multi-sensor mission flexibility. ^{[6]Kongsberg Discovery. “Successful tests for Hugin to U.S. Navy.” kongsberg.com}

Key Restraints

*Evidence anchors use cited external data; demand implications and forecast conditions represent GMI analysis.*

The restraint is not only the acquisition price of a vehicle. Defense-grade systems require proven navigation, acoustic communications, pressure-hull integrity, and software assurance, while buyers often must satisfy lengthy qualification processes before fielding a platform. The U.K. procurement illustrates how even compact AUV acquisitions can be structured around sole-source and institutional purchasing arrangements. ^{[4]UK Ministry of Defence / find-tender. “Contract Notice 2024/S 000-004769 - Purchase of REMUS 100M Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.” find-tender.service.gov.uk}

Technology transfer from defense programs to commercial fleets may therefore be slower than the visibility of military contracts implies. Sweden's Gavia procurement shows the role of multi-year government frameworks in accessing specialized AUV capability. ^{[5]The Defense Post. “Sweden Procures 'Gavia' Autonomous Underwater Vehicles From Teledyne.” thedefensepost.com} Commercial customers seeking short-cycle inspection capacity can consequently favor simpler, lower-specification platforms when advanced systems remain tied to export controls, government approvals, or restricted supply chains.

Autonomous operations also face a practical operating constraint: commercial missions often traverse waters where port authorities, flag states, energy operators, and insurers impose differing rules. Until operating frameworks converge, supervisory control, local approvals, and risk-management requirements will continue to limit the economic advantage of fully autonomous deployments.

Underwater Drones Market Segment Analysis

By Vehicle Type

The underwater drones market's ROV segment generated USD 2.25 billion in 2025 and is projected to hold a 50.0% share by 2035. ROVs remain indispensable where an operator needs continuous power, real-time video, tooling, or controlled intervention. Their relative position is increasingly defined by complex intervention work rather than broad-area data acquisition, where tethering remains an advantage instead of a limitation.

AUVs accounted for 40.0% of the market in 2025 and are projected to advance at a 12.5% CAGR (2026-2035). AUV adoption is being reinforced by missions that reward endurance, repeatable survey quality, and reduced reliance on a dedicated support vessel. Defense surveillance, cable-route mapping, offshore site characterization, and scientific data collection all favor autonomous mission execution when payload performance and navigation confidence are sufficient.

HUVs are expected to reach USD 463 million by 2035, from a 5.0% base-year share in 2025. HUVs address missions requiring both autonomous transit and intervention capability, but their architecture introduces integration and operating complexity. Their opportunity is concentrated in assignments where neither a pure survey vehicle nor a conventional tethered work platform can satisfy the mission economics alone.

By Vehicle Class

Micro-class vehicles held a 10.0% revenue share in 2025 and are projected to grow at a 14.8% CAGR (2026-2035). The class benefits from portability, rapid deployment, and the ability to serve harbor surveillance, mine-countermeasure support, and short-duration inspection tasks. Lower logistical burden expands the buyer base beyond large naval and offshore operators, particularly where missions are time-sensitive or geographically dispersed.

Small & Medium vehicles generated USD 1.02 billion in 2025 and are expected to reach USD 3.13 billion by 2035. This class is becoming the commercial operating center of the market because it can support meaningful sensor payloads without the mobilization demands associated with heavier systems. Offshore inspection, cable surveys, and institutional research programs favor its balance of endurance, deployability, and procurement accessibility.

Light Work-Class vehicles represented a 35.0% revenue share in 2025 and are projected to hold a 33.0% share by 2035. The category remains central to offshore intervention, larger scientific payloads, and subsea construction support. Its modest share change reflects a more diversified vehicle mix rather than weakening demand, as lighter autonomous systems assume a larger portion of survey-oriented work.

Heavy Work-Class vehicles are projected to reach USD 3.01 billion by 2035 and advance at a 9.4% CAGR (2026-2035). Heavy platforms retain a specialized role in deepwater intervention and high-force tasks that cannot be readily displaced by compact electric systems. Their growth is moderated by capital requirements, specialist crew needs, and the increasing capability of smaller platforms for non-intervention missions.

By Propulsion Type

Electric propulsion generated USD 2.46 billion in 2025 and is projected to represent 67.0% of market revenue by 2035. Electric architectures are aligned with the market's shift toward lower acoustic signatures, software-managed energy use, and modular power systems. Improving battery-management capability also allows vehicle designers to make endurance and payload trade-offs more precisely for the intended mission.

Mechanical and hydraulic propulsion represented 25.0% of the 2025 market and is projected to grow at a 7.3% CAGR (2026-2035). These systems retain technical relevance where heavy lifting, continuous force, and subsea construction duties exceed the practical capability of electric alternatives. Their slower expansion reflects displacement in survey and observation missions rather than an immediate loss of importance in intervention work.

Hybrid propulsion systems are expected to reach USD 1.73 billion by 2035, from a 15.0% base-year share in 2025. Hybrid configurations offer operators a transition path where they need electric efficiency for transit or survey activity while retaining intervention capability for more demanding assignments. Their continuing role depends on the pace at which pure-electric actuation closes the performance gap in work-class applications.

By Application

Defense & Security generated USD 1.72 billion in 2025 and is expected to represent a 45.0% share by 2035. The application is anchored by mine countermeasures, seabed awareness, undersea surveillance, and critical-infrastructure protection. Its demand pattern is increasingly shaped by doctrine and deterrence requirements, making fleet readiness, interoperability, and domestic industrial participation as important as individual platform performance.

Commercial Exploration held a 25.0% share in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2.78 billion by 2035. Commercial exploration demand is tied to offshore energy appraisal, seabed characterization, and pre-installation surveys for offshore development. Customers increasingly evaluate systems on mission throughput and data quality, increasing the appeal of autonomous platforms that can cover wide areas with fewer vessel days.

Infrastructure Inspection generated USD 738 million in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 10.3% CAGR (2026-2035). Pipelines, export cables, offshore wind foundations, and port assets create a recurring inspection base rather than a one-time equipment cycle. Adoption hinges on whether operators can demonstrate reliable results, secure regulatory approvals, and integrate vehicle data into asset-management workflows.

Scientific Research is projected to hold an 11.0% share by 2035. Scientific demand remains important for deep-ocean observation, habitat assessment, and oceanographic mapping, although its purchasing pattern is typically governed by institutional funding cycles and mission-specific payload requirements. The segment favors configurable systems able to support diverse research programs over repeated deployments.

The Others application segment held a 3.0% share in 2025 and is projected to maintain a 3.0% share in 2035. This category includes specialized uses such as underwater archaeology, environmental monitoring, and port security. Demand is dispersed across smaller mission sets, but these applications provide a route for emerging suppliers to build operational references in narrowly defined use cases.

By Operating Depth

Shallow-water vehicles generated USD 1.23 billion in 2025 and are projected to account for a 27.0% share by 2035. Coastal inspection, aquaculture monitoring, harbor security, and near-shore infrastructure work support a broad practical market for shallow-rated systems. The segment's mix changes as deeper missions gain prominence, but its use cases remain comparatively accessible for commercial operators.

Mid-Water platforms represented 35.0% of the 2025 market and are expected to reach USD 3.93 billion by 2035. Their position reflects the concentration of operating offshore assets within a depth range that requires robust navigation and endurance but not the most extreme pressure-hull designs. This makes the segment important to both energy inspection and commercial survey fleets.

Deep-class vehicles are projected to represent 26.0% of market revenue by 2035 and grow at a 11.4% CAGR (2026-2035). Demand is supported by critical-infrastructure monitoring, deepwater resource assessment, and naval missions that require access beyond routine offshore production depths. Higher engineering requirements create qualification barriers that favor suppliers with proven pressure-tolerance and navigation performance.

Ultra-Deep platforms held a 10.0% share in 2025 and are projected to advance at a 13.8% CAGR (2026-2035). Ultra-deep demand is concentrated in missions where human access is impractical and conventional systems cannot sustain the required operating environment. Material science, energy density, and communication resilience are decisive constraints, giving this category a technologically demanding but strategically differentiated role.

By Integrated System Architecture

Payload & Sensor systems held a 22.0% indicative share in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 2.43 billion by 2035. Buyers increasingly assess vehicle value through the quality, resolution, and usability of mission data. Sensor selection therefore shapes not only platform capability but also the commercial case for each deployment, particularly in survey, inspection, and seabed-intelligence work.

Navigation & Guidance represented USD 738 million in embedded value in 2025 and is projected to account for a 17.0% indicative share by 2035. Navigation reliability remains foundational to autonomous operation, especially where precise route repeatability or close-proximity infrastructure inspection is required. Broader component availability can lower cost pressure, but it does not reduce the importance of resilient positioning in contested or complex underwater environments.

Propulsion & Mobility is expected to reach USD 1.62 billion by 2035, from a 15.0% indicative share in 2025. The subsystem is evolving with electric thrusters, vehicle-control software, and efficiency improvements that allow a platform to match propulsion output to mission conditions. Suppliers able to optimize motion control alongside energy consumption can improve practical endurance without enlarging the vehicle.

Power & Energy held a 12.0% indicative share in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.39 billion by 2035. Energy architecture is a core determinant of mission duration, payload availability, and operating cost. The value of battery and power-management innovation is amplified when it allows a vehicle to complete a mission without additional support-vessel time.

Chassis & Pressure Hull generated USD 410 million in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 9.7% CAGR (2026-2035). Hull design remains a material barrier to deeper operation and is closely tied to safety, manufacturability, and lifecycle reliability. Advances in composites and production methods can improve cost discipline, although the engineering burden rises sharply as depth requirements increase.

Communication & Networking held a 9.0% indicative share in 2025 and is projected to maintain a 9.0% indicative share by 2035. Underwater communications remain constrained by the physics of acoustic transmission, making reliable command, status reporting, and data retrieval central to platform design. Suppliers are differentiating through integration and mission planning rather than expecting a single communications breakthrough to remove these limitations.

Onboard Processing & Autonomy accounted for an 8.0% embedded share in 2025 and is expected to advance at a 14.5% CAGR (2026-2035). This stack is gaining importance as vehicles move from remote data collectors toward systems capable of processing sensor inputs, identifying targets, and adapting mission behavior locally. Its value lies in reducing dependence on intermittent communications and enabling productive operations in conditions where operator intervention is difficult.

Collision Avoidance held a 6.0% indicative share in 2025 and is projected to account for a 7.0% share by 2035. Situational-awareness systems are becoming more important as autonomous vehicles work closer to infrastructure and in more complex maritime environments. Their adoption is tied to the credibility of safe autonomous operation for customers, regulators, and insurers.

Underwater Drones Market Regional Analysis

North America Underwater Drones Market Analysis

The underwater drones market in North America generated USD 1.55 billion in 2025 and is projected to account for a 36.1% share of the global market by 2035. Regional leadership rests on U.S. defense procurement, mature offshore capabilities, and a developed ecosystem of subsea technology providers. Demand is strengthened by the overlap between naval modernization and commercial inspection needs, which supports both high-end autonomous systems and more established ROV applications.

United States

The United States generated USD 1.35 billion in 2025 and is expected to represent an 86.6% share of North American revenue by 2035. U.S. demand is shaped by naval programs, offshore energy activity, and critical-infrastructure monitoring. The Navy's Orca investment provides a visible indication of the priority given to persistent uncrewed undersea capability, while commercial operators create a complementary market for survey and inspection systems. ^{[1]U.S. Department of the Navy. “FY 2026 President's Budget Press Brief.” secnav.navy.mil}

Canada

Canada held an 8.9% share of North American revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 377 million by 2035. Arctic research, offshore energy activity, and defense interoperability with the United States support demand. The market is particularly relevant for systems designed to operate reliably in remote, cold-water, and logistically difficult environments.

Mexico

Mexico generated USD 70 million in 2025 and is projected to advance at a 10.0% CAGR (2026-2035). Offshore energy infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico remains the primary commercial demand base. Survey, inspection, and asset-integrity activities create opportunities for platforms that can lower vessel time while maintaining dependable subsea data collection.

Europe Underwater Drones Market Analysis

Europe represented a 28.0% share of global revenue in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 3.17 billion by 2035. Europe combines a large offshore industrial base with rising concern over subsea infrastructure security. NATO-aligned procurement, North Sea offshore activity, and domestic maritime manufacturing create a market where defense and commercial requirements increasingly reinforce each other.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom generated USD 290 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 800 million by 2035. Royal Navy modernization and North Sea inspection activity sustain demand across defense and commercial missions. The country's established offshore service ecosystem also supports adoption where ROV experience can be extended into autonomous survey operations.

Norway

Norway held a 19.2% share of European revenue in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 10.8% CAGR (2026-2035). Norway's offshore petroleum operations, maritime research base, and domestic subsea technology ecosystem give it a structurally strong demand profile. The country is positioned to benefit from applications that combine demanding environmental conditions with high-value infrastructure inspection.

France

France generated USD 175 million in 2025 and is expected to hold a 14.8% share of European revenue by 2035. Defense-led autonomy programs and national maritime capability priorities provide a foundation for demand. Commercial activity in offshore survey and Mediterranean operations adds a separate market layer for inspection and seabed-data applications.

Germany

Germany is projected to reach USD 430 million by 2035, from a 13.9% European share in 2025. Baltic Sea security concerns and the protection of critical subsea assets are strengthening the strategic case for underwater systems. Commercial port, offshore survey, and maritime-security requirements broaden demand beyond dedicated defense procurement.

Netherlands

The Netherlands accounted for a 9.6% European share in 2025 and is projected to advance at a 10.2% CAGR (2026-2035). North Sea energy infrastructure and offshore wind development provide a recurring inspection market. Dutch demand is likely to reward systems that fit into established marine-service operations and can demonstrate reliable results in heavily used waters.

Rest of Europe

Rest of Europe held a 16.8% regional share in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 11.3% CAGR (2026-2035). Smaller European naval buyers are expanding attention to mine countermeasures and infrastructure protection, while commercial offshore work supports broader use cases. Sweden's Gavia procurement underscores the continuing role of allied defense modernization in this demand pool. ^{[5]The Defense Post. “Sweden Procures 'Gavia' Autonomous Underwater Vehicles From Teledyne.” thedefensepost.com}

Asia Pacific Underwater Drones Market Analysis

The underwater drones market in Asia Pacific generated USD 902 million in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 11.8% CAGR (2026-2035). The region's demand is being shaped by naval modernization, offshore energy activity, deep-sea research ambitions, and long coastlines with important maritime trade routes. Its growth profile reflects both large national programs and a widening set of commercial applications.

China

China generated USD 450 million in 2025 and is expected to hold a 50.4% share of Asia Pacific revenue by 2035. Domestic underwater-system development supports both naval and scientific priorities. Commercial offshore surveying and deep-sea research also contribute to demand, creating a wide application base for domestically developed platforms.

Japan

Japan held a 16.1% Asia Pacific share in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 400 million by 2035. Japanese demand is supported by defense reorientation, oceanographic research, and the need to monitor complex maritime approaches. The market favors reliable systems that can support both public-sector research and high-consequence maritime operations.

South Korea

South Korea generated USD 110 million in 2025 and is expected to advance at a 11.1% CAGR (2026-2035). Naval mine-countermeasure requirements and offshore industrial activity create the principal demand base. The country's engineering and shipbuilding capabilities may also support local integration and system-development opportunities.

Australia

Australia is projected to reach USD 248 million by 2035, from a 10.0% regional share in 2025. The Ghost Shark program has elevated Australia's role in the regional defense-UUV market and supports domestic industrial capability alongside fleet acquisition. Its broader effect will depend on the degree to which sovereign production creates supplier capacity that can serve follow-on missions and allied customers. ^{[2]Reuters. “Australia to spend $1.1 billion on Anduril undersea drone fleet.” reuters.com}

India

India held a 6.1% Asia Pacific share in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 14.1% CAGR (2026-2035). Naval modernization, Indian Ocean maritime awareness, offshore energy inspection, and deep-ocean research are supporting a broadening demand base. India's opportunity lies in linking domestic development goals with operational requirements across defense and civilian institutions.

Rest of Asia Pacific

Rest of Asia Pacific represented a 5.8% regional share in 2025 and is projected to advance at a 14.5% CAGR (2026-2035). Emerging littoral defense programs and expanding commercial maritime activity are driving adoption from a comparatively smaller base. Suppliers that can provide deployable systems with manageable training and support requirements are well positioned in this group of markets.

Latin America Underwater Drones Market Analysis

Latin America is projected to reach USD 590 million by 2035, from a 5.0% share of global revenue in 2025. Regional demand is primarily commercial and closely connected to offshore resource development, asset inspection, and marine research. Deepwater operating conditions create a practical need for systems that can improve data availability while limiting costly offshore campaign time.

Brazil

Brazil generated USD 140 million in 2025 and is expected to account for a 68.6% share of Latin American revenue by 2035. Pre-salt offshore activity remains the principal demand driver, requiring survey and inspection capabilities suited to deepwater operations. The market's trajectory depends on the investment profile of offshore developments as well as operators' willingness to replace traditional service models with autonomous workflows.

Rest of Latin America

Rest of Latin America held a 31.7% regional share in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 185 million by 2035. Demand is dispersed across offshore energy, coastal survey, and environmental-monitoring use cases. Market development is likely to be project-led, favoring suppliers able to adapt platforms and support models to localized requirements.

MEA Underwater Drones Market Analysis

MEA represented a 7.0% share of global revenue in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 885 million by 2035. The region combines offshore energy infrastructure with expanding maritime-security priorities in strategically important waters. Demand is supported by government modernization programs and operators' need to inspect assets in environments where vessel access and security risks can be material.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia generated USD 95 million in 2025 and is projected to advance at a 12.2% CAGR (2026-2035). Offshore energy operations and maritime-security investment provide complementary demand sources. Systems that can support subsea asset management while meeting sovereign security requirements are likely to have the strongest strategic fit.

UAE

The UAE held a 29.6% MEA share in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 265 million by 2035. Offshore energy assets, port security, and technology-focused public procurement support the market. The UAE's role as a regional logistics and technology hub can also make it an important customer and integration location for advanced underwater platforms.

Rest of MEA

Rest of MEA accounted for a 37.3% regional share in 2025 and is projected to advance at a 11.6% CAGR (2026-2035). Maritime security needs, offshore activity, and the strategic importance of Indian Ocean and African coastal routes create a diverse demand base. Adoption will vary substantially by country, with procurement capability and local service support determining the pace of deployment.

Underwater Drones Market Share & Competitive Landscape

The underwater drones market share structure remains fragmented, with the five largest companies collectively accounting for approximately 16.6% of global market revenue in 2025. Competition is shaped less by broad platform standardization than by the ability to meet customer-specific requirements for depth, payload performance, autonomy, qualification, and lifecycle support.

Kongsberg Maritime held approximately 4.0% market share in 2025.

Kongsberg's position rests on its HUGIN AUV portfolio and experience in high-end subsea sensing and autonomy. The company's HUGIN Superior testing and U.S. production initiative reinforce its ability to address both naval and commercial demand where local support, qualification, and mission performance are decisive. ^{[6]Kongsberg Discovery. “Successful tests for Hugin to U.S. Navy.” kongsberg.com [7]Kongsberg Discovery. “Starts production of autonomous underwater vehicles in the U.S.” kongsberg.com}

Teledyne Technologies held approximately 3.7% market share in 2025.

The company's marine portfolio spans AUV platforms and underwater instrumentation, allowing it to compete through system breadth as well as vehicle sales. Its role in Sweden's Gavia procurement illustrates its continuing relevance to allied mine-countermeasure modernization. ^{[5]The Defense Post. “Sweden Procures 'Gavia' Autonomous Underwater Vehicles From Teledyne.” thedefensepost.com}

General Dynamics Mission Systems / Bluefin Robotics held approximately 3.2% market share in 2025.

Bluefin's strategic position is supported by its alignment with U.S. government underwater programs and its capability across multiple AUV configurations. Program continuity and defense-customer familiarity are meaningful advantages where platform qualification cycles are long and mission reliability is paramount.

L3Harris Technologies competes through ocean systems, sensing, communications, and integration capability.

Its positioning extends beyond complete-platform competition into critical subsystem supply, which can preserve relevance across multiple vehicle programs. This model is particularly valuable in a market where vehicle integrators require specialized sonar, communications, and mission-system performance.

HII Mission Technologies / Hydroid maintains a strong position in small and medium UUVs through the REMUS family and long-standing government customer relationships.

The U.K. REMUS procurement demonstrates the persistence of customer qualification and supplier continuity in defense AUV purchasing. ^{[4]UK Ministry of Defence / find-tender. “Contract Notice 2024/S 000-004769 - Purchase of REMUS 100M Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.” find-tender.service.gov.uk} These barriers can protect incumbents, but they also create pressure to maintain support capacity and technical relevance as buyers seek increasingly autonomous mission capability.

Outside the largest suppliers, Oceaneering International, Saab Seaeye, EXAIL Technologies, Boeing Defense Space & Security, Anduril Industries, Forum Energy Technologies, Deep Trekker, VideoRay, Blueye Robotics, QYSEA Technology, Blue Robotics, Chasing Innovation Technology, and other specialist providers compete through focused applications, customer access, and differentiated vehicle economics. The market leaves room for emerging suppliers where they can address commercial inspection or light-defense missions without the cost structure of major defense programs.

Recent Industry Developments

Australia - Anduril Australia Ghost Shark Contract. Australia awarded Anduril Australia a contract for Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous undersea vehicles in September 2025. The program is designed to build sovereign undersea capability and domestic production capacity, with the first vehicles scheduled for Royal Australian Navy service from January 2026. ^{[2]Reuters. “Australia to spend $1.1 billion on Anduril undersea drone fleet.” reuters.com}

Europe - Euroatlas Greyshark Contracts. Euroatlas announced contracts with two European defense ministries for Greyshark autonomous underwater vehicles in November 2025. The agreements reflect increasing European interest in long-endurance systems for maritime security and critical-infrastructure protection. ^{[3]Reuters. “European states buy underwater drones for military use, manufacturer says.” reuters.com}

Kongsberg Discovery - HUGIN Superior Delivery and U.S. Production. Kongsberg Discovery completed acceptance testing and delivered HUGIN Superior to the U.S. Navy's Defense Innovation Unit in 2025, while also announcing plans to produce HUGIN AUVs in the United States. These developments strengthen the company's proximity to a key defense customer and expand its production footprint. ^{[6]Kongsberg Discovery. “Successful tests for Hugin to U.S. Navy.” kongsberg.com [7]Kongsberg Discovery. “Starts production of autonomous underwater vehicles in the U.S.” kongsberg.com}