HII recently provided embedded field support personnel for the multinational mine countermeasures exercise NAUTILUS, hosted by the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) dive and hydrographic team, HMNZS MATATAUA. The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) mine countermeasures (MCM) cadre participated in the exercise at the remote training area of Tauranga Bay in northern New Zealand, gaining initial vehicle familiarization and mission training. Both nations benefited from hands-on expeditionary operations involving beach launch and recovery, Littoral Maneuver Craft deployment of HII’s REMUS 300 unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), and training on the ODYSSEY Autonomy Mission Planning Software.
The Royal Australian Navy will soon accept several REMUS 300 unmanned underwater vehicles to enhance its mine countermeasures operations, and the exercise provided an opportunity for early familiarization with the systems alongside highly experienced operators. Support from HII Software Engineer Eric Bernard and New Zealand Ocean Technology Mechatronics Engineer Jack Towers, who were fully integrated into the exercise team, helped maximize training outcomes and vehicle operational availability.
“This was a great opportunity to see REMUS in use by sailors and how it contributes to supporting our allies and partners around the globe. It was amazing to be part of not only a multinational exercise, but also the partnership between industry and our military customers,” said Eric Bernard, Odyssey Software Engineer. “.”
“Seeing the New Zealand and Australian sailors working together in this expeditionary environment was inspiring. Their professionalism and camaraderie were evident throughout the exercise,” said Gary Rogeness, director of Unmanned Systems Business Development.
The REMUS 300 is a next‑generation, two‑person‑portable unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) engineered for maximum payload flexibility and advanced modularity. Built on the REMUS Technology Platform, it delivers increased capability, interoperability and mission adaptability while reducing cost and risk. Its open‑architecture design supports rapid integration of wet or dry payloads, enabling operators to tailor the vehicle for diverse defense, commercial and research missions. REMUS 300 is powered by Odyssey™, a cross-domain asset management suite enabling collaborative autonomy across missions and platforms for enhanced operational efficiency and control.
