Unmanned Ship and Sub Link Up in 48 Hours

The integrated surface-and-underwater system was built for a Navy-linked exercise, and no fielding timeline has been announced.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Robotics

Unmanned Ship and Sub Link Up in 48 Hours

SubSea Craft, Naval Systems, Inc. (NSI) and Dragonfish Technical Solutions integrated SubSea Craft's MARS unmanned surface vessel (USV) with NSI/DF's Arowana unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) and demonstrated the combined system during an AUKUS exercise. The system was integrated, tested and demonstrated within 48 hours, and the work is a demonstration rather than a fielded product.

Why it matters

The demonstration points to autonomous surface and underwater vehicles being linked into one networked system that can conduct over-the-horizon engagements against surface targets. The integration was conducted at the request of the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering exercise personnel.

The demonstration reported a 48-hour window from integration to operational demonstration, following about one month of hardware integration, interface development and testing of the Arowana UUV with the MARS USV and CADDIS UAS. The source does not report measured range, speed or engagement accuracy, so the figures describe development time rather than capability performance.

The players

SubSea Craft

A maker of unmanned surface and underwater systems whose MARS USV and CADDIS UAS were used in the demonstration, led by Chief Executive Officer Camilla Martin.

Naval Systems, Inc. (NSI)

A defense technology company whose Arowana UUV was integrated into the demonstration, led by Chief Executive Officer Ed Rule.

Dragonfish Technical Solutions, LLC

A technical solutions firm whose team, led by Chief Engineer and Managing Director Robert Gibson, participated in the integration of the Arowana UUV.

Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering

The Pentagon office that requested the demonstration for its exercise personnel as part of the AUKUS exercise.

The details

The Arowana UUV was paired with SubSea Craft's MARS USV, and multiple Arowana vehicles were launched from the surface vessel to conduct simulated kinetic engagements. In a separate demonstration, divers deployed the CADDIS UAS, a diver-deployable platform that travels to the surface before transitioning to flight and heading toward a designated target, and information was relayed to the Arowana UUV during an underwater launch.

Within one month before the demonstration, hardware integration, interface development and testing of Arowana with MARS and CADDIS took place.
Within 48 hours following initial planning and design, the systems were integrated, tested and demonstrated.

The Tech Race

All three technologies were selected through the US Navy BARB solicitation to participate in Maritime Big Play Pacific, a Pacific maritime exercise. The demonstration shows how a rapidly integrated unmanned surface and underwater stack competes for a place in that US Navy program.

The demonstration does not indicate when or whether the integrated system will be available beyond exercise use, and no pricing or procurement timeline was reported. Readers should treat the capability as a demonstrated integration rather than a product available to buy or deploy.

The takeaway

Watch for whether the Maritime Big Play Pacific exercise produces published performance results or moves any of these vehicles into a follow-on Navy procurement. Any announced range, engagement accuracy or contract award from that program would show whether the 48-hour integration translates into fielded capability.