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12 Sep 25. HII and Babcock Join Forces to Integrate UUVs with Submarine Weapon Handling and Launch Systems. Today, Babcock International Group (Babcock) and HII (NYSE: HII), signed a memorandum of understanding to bring together HII’s REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and Babcock’s world-leading submarine Weapon Handling and Launch Systems (WHLS). The goal of the collaboration is to deliver autonomous launch and recovery of UUVs via submarine torpedo tubes, strengthening the undersea advantage of allied navies. This is the first program of its kind within the Babcock Mission Systems business.
As UUVs become increasingly vital to future undersea operations, HII and Babcock seek to work together to jointly pursue future opportunities within the unmanned space. This joint initiative builds on Babcock and HII’s strategic partnership started in 2023, and the U.S. Navy’s first successful forward-deployed UUV launch and recovery via torpedo tube, using an HII REMUS. Babcock’s WHLS are currently in service with the submarine fleets of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Spain and South Korea.
Chris Kastner, HII, president and chief executive officer, said: “This partnership demonstrates the promise of pairing Babcock’s handling and launch system technology with the capabilities of HII’s REMUS UUVs to strengthen the undersea advantage of our allies. I am proud of HII’s leadership in advancing autonomous maritime manned-unmanned teaming operations and excited about the opportunities this collaboration will unlock.”
Sir Nick Hine, Babcock, chief executive marine, said: “Partnering with HII, we’re combining over a century of expertise in surface and sub-surface systems to further explore marine technologies and strengthen defense capabilities — this is just the beginning of future collaborations across marine programs.”
Babcock has been responsible for the design, manufacture and support of submarine WHLS for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and overseas customers for more than 50 years. Together with HII’s autonomous REMUS, Babcock and HII can offer customers more capability through the integration of the latest UUV technology into existing and new build platforms.
The U.S. Navy’s milestone operation underscores a broader transformation in undersea warfare: the growing demand for integrated manned-autonomous operations that extend reach, enhance stealth, and reduce operational risk. HII and Babcock’s collaboration positions both companies, and their allied navy customers, to lead this transformation.
To date, HII has sold more than 700 REMUS vehicles to over 30 countries, including 14 NATO members. Notably, more than 90% of REMUS units delivered in the past 23 years remain in service, demonstrating platform durability and lifecycle value — critical in defense acquisition decision-making. (Source: ASD Network
12 Sep 25. BAE, Lockheed Martin plan large jammer drone as door opener in combat. BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are teaming up to develop a family of uncrewed autonomous air systems, with an initial focus on electronic warfare, the companies said at the DSEI UK defense show here on Tuesday. Details remained scant as the companies announced their collaboration. The system will be in the 1-tonne range and able to carry different payloads, according to Dave Holmes, the managing director of BAE Systems’ FalconWorks division. The goal is a cost-effective vehicle that’s easy to modify as well as easy to deploy, be that air dropped or launched from ground or maritime platforms, said OJ Sanchez, the general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The design will include “modularity and adaptability,” according to the partners, who cited a need to quickly develop and field affordable combat mass.
Drone and missile makers are increasingly touting systems that can be tinkered with to keep them relevant, as well as cheaper and faster to produce.
Pan-European missile maker MBDA presented a one-way effector with 800 kilometer range at the show on Tuesday that can be built using different off-the-shelf components and armed with various warhead types.
BAE and Lockheed Martin will disclose specific applications for the system as those are being developed, with cost “an important variable” for the design team, Sanchez said.
The system is not considered a missile and will be designed to return, while still being of “an attritable nature,” according to Holmes. The return mechanism would be something other than landing gear, possibly a parachute, the executive said.
The past three years have demonstrated a need for armed forces to have a capability to “punch a hole through these very complex and denied electronic warfare environments,” Holmes said. The uncrewed air systems will have capabilities that can be deployed from day one of a conflict, he said.
The concept is for an open system approach that allows to integrate users’ capabilities, while having modular architecture both in terms of firmware and software will be key to refreshing the system and keeping it current, he said.
BAE Systems sees the collaboration with Lockheed Martin as “highly complementary” to what MBDA can offer, according to Holmes. The British company is a major shareholder in MBDA, with a 37.5% stake, together with Airbus and Leonardo. (Source: Defense News)
11 Sep 25. Rotron Aerospace has unveiled its latest uncrewed platform, the Defendor Uncrewed Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), at DSEI 2025, engineered for sovereign capability in the field of One-Way Effectors (OWE). The system, developed around Rotron’s R350-FDS (Fan Drive System), is optimized for extended range and cost-efficient mass manufacture. According to the company, the propulsion innovation enables Defendor to achieve up to four times the operational endurance of conventional turbojet architectures while maintaining the agility and high subsonic speeds required for tactical strike operations.
Combat Mass and Affordability
Defendor has been engineered to address the UK’s growing demand for scalable strike options in contested environments. Leveraging simplified supply chains and low-complexity design, Rotron aims to provide a platform that can be produced at volume and at cost levels competitive with existing expendable air systems.
The company highlights that this approach ensures the platform is not only a disposable one-way effector but also configurable for attritable UCAV roles, offering flexibility in both offensive strike and force multiplication.
Expanding the OWE Landscape
The launch comes at a time when both NATO and UK defense planners are seeking cost-effective solutions to counterbalance adversary A2/AD strategies. Recent conflicts have underscored the effectiveness of attritable strike drones and loitering munitions; however, endurance and payload limitations remain key constraints.
By integrating the R350-FDS, Defendor is positioned as a bridge between traditional loitering munitions and full-spectrum combat drones, a system that offers persistence, speed, and payload capacity within a sovereign, UK-origin platform.
Strategic Sovereignty
The unveiling of Defendor at DSEI underlines the company’s commitment to strengthening UK sovereign capability in the aerospace and defense domain.
Alex Head, Rotron Aerospace CEO, commented, “Defendor demonstrates what can be achieved when propulsion innovation is directly applied to the pressing challenges of modern warfare. By combining our R350-FDS with a design philosophy rooted in affordability and combat mass, we’ve created a system that gives UK and allied forces strategic options at scale.”
SME Agility in Defense
Rotron also emphasizes the importance of SME-driven innovation in meeting urgent operational requirements. Unlike large primes, which often face long development cycles and high cost structures, SMEs such as Rotron are able to move at speed, iterate rapidly, and field novel solutions at lower cost.
This agility aligns with the UK Ministry of Defence’s stated aim to enable SMEs to play a greater role in the defense industrial base, bringing fresh innovation, competitive pricing, and sovereign capability. Defendor is presented as a tangible example of how smaller, specialist firms can outpace legacy suppliers and deliver operational impact in real-world timeframes.
Future Development
Rotron confirmed that Defendor will undergo further flight trials in late 2025, including demonstrations of strike profiles and integration with electronic warfare payloads. The system is expected to attract interest from both MOD and allied export markets seeking to bolster resilience and capability against peer threats.
As the OWE domain continues to mature, the Defendor represents a significant step in the UK’s ability to field attritable, long-range UCAVs, offering both sovereign autonomy and interoperability with NATO partners. (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)
12 Sep 25. Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation debuts one-way attack UAV. Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation (MIC) recently unveiled its new Safaroog one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in what is a notable milestone for the country’s defence industry. The Safaroog is a kamikaze or suicide drone designed specifically for precision strikes against ground targets. The piston engine aircraft has a wingspan of 3.38 metres and a length of 2.88 metres. With a maximum takeoff weight of 120 kg, it can carry payloads of up to 40 kilograms depending on the configuration, with variants allowing 20 kg or 30 kg payloads. The Safaroog cruises at 160 km/h and reaches a maximum speed of 200 km/h. It can operate at altitudes up to 15 000 feet and sustain flight for 4 to 4.5 hours, covering operational ranges of 300 to 600 kilometres, Army Recognition reported following the Safaroog’s debut at the IDEF exhibition in Turkey.
The drone is equipped with an AI-based autopilot system alongside GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and INS (Inertial Navigation System) for precise navigation and guidance. Launching options for the Safaroog include catapult and pneumatic systems, allowing flexible deployment in different combat scenarios.
Of particular note is its terminal attack angle exceeding 60 degrees, enabling high-angle or near-vertical strikes against armoured or fortified ground targets with high precision, reportedly achieving a circular error probable (CEP) of less than 10 meters.
The Safaroog represents a leap forward for Sudan’s defence industrial capabilities. Operationally, the Safaroog drone addresses Sudan’s evolving battlefield needs, especially relevant given the conflict dynamics between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) where unmanned aerial systems have played an increasing role. The Safaroog is already reportedly in service with the Sudanese military, according to Janes, and has attracted interest from Middle Eastern countries, suggesting potential export opportunities.
Also on display at IDEF 2025 was MIC’s BK-3 a precision guided 270 kg bomb that can used on a variety of aerial platforms, and Kamin-25 loitering munition, designed to be launched from an unmanned aerial vehicle. This was first displayed in 2023. The munition can carry either a 5 kg anti-tank warhead or a 7 kg anti-personnel warhead, with a 25 kg total weight. Flight duration is 45–60 minutes, depending on the altitude it is released, and it loiters at an altitude of 250 metres. It can operate up to 50 km from the UAV, which relays the signal from the munition’s day/night camera to the ground control station.BK-3 guided bomb.
Other products promoted by MIC at IDEF included the SAFAT 03 light aircraft, 122 mm eight-barrel rocket launcher, SAFAT 02 light helicopter, and Mirsaal heavy lift multi-rotor UAV.
Since the 1990s Chinese, Russian and Iranian companies have helped Sudan develop its domestic military industry after an international arms embargo placed on the country. The Military Industry Corporation was established in 1993 to manufacture weapons and equipment for the Sudanese military and is now marketing its products internationally, including main battle tanks (based on Chinese designs), small arms, recoilless rifles, mortars, rocket launchers, upgraded armoured vehicles, ammunition, electronics and uniforms.
The company has an extensive product range which includes armoured vehicles, tanks, trucks, artillery, light aircraft, boats and ships, as well as uniforms. It also has interests in the auto and agricultural and mining equipment industries. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
12 Sep 25. HII Unveils AI-Enabled ROMULUS Family of Unmanned Surface Vessels Powered by Odyssey to Strengthen the Fleet. HII (NYSE: HII), America’s largest military shipbuilder and a global leader in autonomous maritime systems, today introduced ROMULUS, a modular, AI-enabled family of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) powered by HII’s Odyssey Autonomous Control System (ACS) software suite.
ROMULUS 190, the flagship of the ROMULUS family, is currently under construction. Built on a commercial-standard hull, it is engineered for rapid, repeatable production and immediate mission readiness. Designed for speeds exceeding 25 knots, the 190-foot vessel is capable of a minimum range of 2,500 nautical miles (nmi) carrying 4 x 40 foot ISO intermodal containers on the payload deck. ROMULUS 190 is being developed in partnership with Breaux Brothers, Beier Integrated Systems, and Incat Crowther.
ROMULUS is designed to meet the current and emerging requirements of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, joint forces, and allies. It delivers high-endurance, sustained open-ocean autonomy with a focus on lethality, cost efficiency, and scalability.
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“The future fight demands speed, agility, and resilience, all embedded in the Odyssey-powered ROMULUS family,” said Chris Kastner, HII president and CEO. “By matching world-class shipbuilding with decades of unmanned systems expertise, we are delivering a mission-ready, swarm USV capability built for the next generation of operations.”
Odyssey: Proven, Open, and Evolving
Odyssey ACS software suite has demonstrated performance on more than 35 USV platforms with over 6,000 operational hours in U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and international allied programs. Odyssey’s intuitive interface and enhanced, customizable features generate the required mission behaviors for greater lethality and survivability with simplified control of unmanned swarms across domains, making it a force multiplier for the modern fleet.
The software suite’s open-access, government-aligned architecture enables rapid integration of new sensors, payloads, and third-party autonomy technologies. It allows industry, government, and academia to test and refine capabilities, ensuring ROMULUS evolves in step with emerging naval concepts of operations.
ROMULUS integrates technologies from Shield AI, Applied Intuition, and C3 AI with HII’s Odyssey for enhanced autonomy, object classification, and lifecycle sustainment.
Multi-Mission, Multi-Domain Flexibility
ROMULUS’s reconfigurable design supports teaming across surface, subsurface, and air domains for missions including counter-unmanned air systems (C-UAS), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), strike operations, and the launch and recover of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUV) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Enhanced-Domain Advantage with HII’s REMUS UUV
Paired with HII’s proven REMUS UUVs, ROMULUS significantly extends undersea reach, closing anti-submarine warfare sensing gaps and keeping manned platforms at a safer standoff distance. REMUS’s decades-long track record in mine counter-measures (MCM) missions accelerates clearance operations and reduces fleet risk. Together, ROMULUS and REMUS deliver a scalable dual-domain solution across surface and subsurface missions.
Reinforcing HII’s Leadership
With ROMULUS, HII reinforces its position as the global leader in durable, autonomous unmanned systems. Developed with support from HII’s Dark Sea Labs Advanced Technology Group, ROMULUS takes its place alongside the proven REMUS UUV line, of which more than 700 have been delivered to over 30 nations and more than 90% are still operational after more than two decades. Together, ROMULUS and REMUS, powered by HII’s Odyssey autonomy, form a dual-domain family of unmanned platforms that expands operational reach, maximizes mission flexibility, and ensures dependable performance across the full maritime spectrum.
Key ROMULUS Capabilities:
- Modular, Open Architecture: Built on open standards, including Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA), Robot Operating System (ROS), and Data Distribution Service (DDS), Odyssey ensures compatibility with U.S. Navy autonomy requirements and control stations now and into the future. Odyssey’s modular architecture also allows for rapid reconfiguration and integration with modular payloads, new sensors and systems.
- Multi-Agent Autonomy: Odyssey enables control of either individual assets or swarms, a key capability for enabling the future fight. Odyssey’s mission library delivers high-level autonomy with ease in executing rapid single-agent tasks or complex, multi-agent scenarios in coordination with crewed and unmanned platforms. Secure data management enables instant analytics or detailed post-mission review, while its modular design supports seamless integration of customer or third-party sensors, payloads, algorithms, and interfaces.
- Intelligent Operations: Autonomous health monitoring, sensor fusion, and perception deliver intuitive mission planning, real-time situational awareness, and diagnostics. Navigation is compliant with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), ensuring operational reliability in all conditions.
- Fleet Integration: Designed to align with future fleet Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), supporting unmanned and optionally manned missions and integrated operations with aircraft carrier strike groups and surface action groups. (Source: ASD Network)
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EOS
Electro Optic Systems (EOS) is an Australian technology company with a global presence, delivering advanced solutions across defence and space. With operations in Australia, the United States, Europe, Singapore, the Middle East and New Zealand, EOS has been designing and manufacturing precision technologies for more than four decades.
In defence, EOS is a leader in remote weapon systems, with more than 2,500 delivered and proven in operational service with allied forces. The company designs, develops and manufactures highly accurate counter-drone solutions for force and asset protection. These include both kinetic and high energy laser options that defeat drone threats effectively and at a comparatively low cost per shot. In August 2025, EOS secured the world’s first export contract for a 100 kW-class high energy laser weapon, with delivery scheduled between 2025 and 2028.
In the space domain, EOS is internationally recognised for its expertise in space domain awareness and space control. Its ground-based optical systems track and characterise satellites and debris to support both defence and commercial operations worldwide. Through its New Zealand subsidiary, EOS also designs and manufactures precision optics for space and astronomy applications.
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