Anduril and Hyundai to Develop Modular Autonomous Surface Vessel

U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries has entered a strategic partnership with South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The agreement was announced on the company’s official website.

Under the partnership, the two firms will jointly develop a new class of autonomous surface platforms intended for both commercial applications and military missions.

According to Anduril, the future ships will feature a modular, software-defined architecture and a steel hull. They are designed for multi‑mission use, including reconnaissance and surveillance, electronic warfare, and strike operations.

A key feature of the new class will be an open digital architecture, allowing rapid changes to weapons and payloads and enabling integration of autonomous control, navigation, and mission systems.

This will allow customers to tailor the platform to specific requirements and update its capabilities without major structural modifications.

The first prototype is already being assembled in South Korea, where certification of key systems and tests of principal components — propulsion, power systems, and automation suites — will take place.

Once that phase is complete, production is expected to shift to the United States at the former Foss Shipyard site in Seattle, which is currently being modernized for the integration and testing of autonomous surface platforms for U.S. defense needs.

Militarnyi previously reported that the South Korean company LIG Nex1 presented new naval drones capable of operating both as loitering munitions and as multi‑purpose platforms.

One of the main innovations was the Sea Sword‑X Combat Unmanned Surface Vehicle (Combat USV), a 35‑meter vessel designed for missions in high‑risk areas, including near enemy ports and forward bases.

The Sea Sword‑X can operate autonomously or under remote control and is equipped with an AI‑based identification system, automated weapons control, and navigation.