HUGIN AUV boosts US Navy’s subsea capabilities

The advanced AUV system, delivered just one year after the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) awarded Kongsberg a 24-month frame contract, will provide the US Navy with immediate enhanced subsea inspection and security capabilities.

“Kongsberg is excited to be expanding our relationship with the US Navy and provide the cutting-edge capabilities that come standard with our HUGIN Superior AUV system,” said Rich Patterson, vice president of sales, Uncrewed Platforms Division, Kongsberg Discovery.

“We applaud the DIU team for enabling this transfer of capability to the warfighter at an accelerated pace and look forward to valuable operator feedback and continued partnership to further evolve our product line.”

Strong reputation

The HUGIN Superior offers more than 70 hours of endurance, full ocean depth capability and navigational accuracy of less than 0.04% of the distance travelled.

Equipped with multiple mapping and imaging sensors, it leads the market for autonomous subsea inspection.

This state-of-the-art system strengthens the US Navy’s ability to conduct Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPoE), Mine Countermeasures (MCM) and the inspection of critical undersea infrastructure.

Kongsberg has a long history of developing innovative AUV technology, from the first HUGIN dive in 1993 to the record-breaking HUGIN Endurance mission in summer 2024.