The race to build autonomous warships is picking up speed. A new step has now moved from design to reality, as the first vessel in a new class begins construction.
Defense company Anduril Industries has expanded its partnership with shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai. They are working on autonomous surface vessels, also known as ASVs. These ships are designed to operate with little or no human crew.
The companies confirmed that the first vessel in this new program has officially entered production. This marks an important moment after the project cleared its critical design review.
“Following the successful completion of our critical design review, construction on our first ASV is underway, and the ship is on track to be in the water and tested by the end of this year,” Anduril said in a statement.
READ ALSO: US Navy’s Long-Stalled 6th-Gen F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Heads Toward August Call
The company has already been running daily tests at sea. These tests help engineers understand how the vessel performs in real conditions. The data collected from open-water operations will directly support the first production ship upon delivery.
To support manufacturing, Anduril and HD Hyundai have also partnered with Edison Chouest Offshore. The vessels will be built at the company’s shipyards in the United States. This adds local production capability to the project.
WATCH ALSO: China’s military showcases modern battlefield capabilities in new exercise
Speaking at the Sea-Air-Space Exposition, Anduril’s General Manager for Surface Dominance, Cory Emmons, shared updates on the program. He confirmed that the first ship under construction is expected to enter the water by October this year.
Once launched, the vessel will begin testing and early operations. Anduril plans to take full ownership of the ship for testing along the US coast by the end of 2026.
Emmons did not reveal how many ships will be produced or how fast production will scale. He also declined to share details about the vessel’s cost.
Even so, the project signals a clear shift. Autonomous systems are moving beyond experiments and into real-world deployment. With construction now underway, the focus is turning to how these vessels perform at sea.
READ ALSO: F-35s Turn Quarterbacks as Drone Swarms Redefine Marine Corps Air Combat
If testing goes as planned, this first ship may set the stage for a new kind of naval fleet, one where software, sensors, and autonomy play a key role.
