The Pentagon announced the CAMP program last April with the release of a solicitation calling for a new class of XL-AUV, or extra large underwater vehicle.

The solicitation called for a large underwater vessel that could maneuver in GPS-denied environments, dive over roughly 656 feet (200 meters) deep and drop “various payloads to the sea floor.” It specified that the vessel had to stay underwater for prolonged periods and be able to be transported and recovered easily by commercially available freight and logistics equipment.

Anduril was chosen for the CAMP program after wrapping the longest-ever XL-AUV demonstration, per a company statement. It will conduct an extended demonstration of its Dive-XL platform within four months of contract award.

“The subsea domain currently is patrolled and serviced by a very small number of exquisite capabilities,” Dr. Shane Arnott, senior vice president of Anduril’s maritime division, told reporters at a March 11 roundtable. “The Pacific and also the High North, which is the new fight that’s starting around the Arctic, are water-based fights. So it’s a no-brainer that robots are needed to supplement the crewed systems.”

The Dive-XL meets many of the desired features noted in the original CAMP solicitation. The vehicle is propelled by an all-electric powertrain that allows it to speed through the depths without needing to break the surface and can travel in excess of 2,000 nautical miles.

It has a highly flexible design that be modified for different mission types, including reconnaissance, and can carry up to three payload modules at once. These loads can include smaller unmanned underwater vehicles, effectively making the Dive-XL an type of mothership for even smaller drones that can conduct surveillance or strike underwater.

Additionally, the Dive-XL platform fits into commercial freight containers and can be transported via train or trucks, which corresponds to the Navy’s demand for a modular, easy-to-use system.

Anduril’s selection for the project follows its formal adoption last September by the Royal Australian Navy to deliver a fleet of AI unmanned submarine called Ghost Sharks within the next three years.

The California-based Coast Guard cutter Munro announced the news after returning Sunday from a 119-day deployment that began in November of last year.

Sailing in the Eastern Pacific, the Munro spotted a go-fast smuggling boat and took up what became an intense pursuit.

A Scan Eagle surveillance drone participated in the pursuit alongside an MH-65 helicopter of the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron. The Scan Eagle, which has a low-stealth profile and a relatively small size, operates autonomously and with extreme endurance.

After firing warning shots, the helicopter disabled the vessel’s engine with gunfire, ending the pursuit. Six suspected drug smugglers were arrested.

A record haul of 22,052 pounds of cocaine was recovered from the vessel, with an estimated street value of over $250 million.

“The service, our nation and our families can be extremely proud of Munro,” Capt. Jim O’Mara, the cutter’s commanding officer, said in a statement.

“This crew rose to every new challenge thrown at them with professionalism and persistence, and they achieved historic results. This was a one-of-a-kind deployment for us, but it is also just one part of a much broader campaign and U.S. national strategy.”

O’Mara said the long deployment had been hard on crew members’ families, but he expressed gratitude for the support from home and pride in the crew’s unprecedented accomplishments.

“Our families had to adapt to each new twist, just like all military families do across the Armed Forces. It is tough on them,” he said. “But when they hold strong at home that keeps us motivated and focused on our mission.”

Video released Wednesday shows the next-gen munitions being launched in open desert terrain from M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems as part of Operation Epic Fury. The operation against Iran has seen a variety of precision munitions launched from land, sea and air, according to CENTCOM.

“I just could not be prouder of our men and women in uniform leveraging innovation to create dilemmas for the enemy,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a release.

The PrSM is enhanced with GPS capabilities to navigate in flight and can accurately strike targets from around 250 miles away. Its warhead is designed to deliver a fragmentation effect when it explodes, increasing power on impact. The missile, meanwhile, is reportedly built to withstand turbulent in-flight conditions.

The PrSM is among a wide array of advanced technological assets the U.S. military has deployed during its ongoing operations in Iran.

Other notable weapon deployments in the ongoing conflict include Patriot Interceptor Missile Systems and THAAD Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems. LUCAS one-way attack drones were also used for the first time in combat by the U.S. Special Operations Command-led Task Force Scorpion Strike.

Specific details about the targets engaged by the PrSMs have not been provided as of publication.

Prior to its combat debut, the U.S. Army was working with Lockheed Martin to ramp up production capacity for the munition, Defense News reported last October.

The Army tested its short-range and long-range capabilities on White Sands Missile Range in April and September of last year. Tests saw the munitions fired from HIMARS systems as well as the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System, or MLRS.

Operation Epic Fury has seen over 2,000 military targets across Iran destroyed, the Pentagon said, including a naval frigate that was sunk in the first torpedo kill by a U.S. Navy submarine since World War II.

Ursa Major, a Colorado-based defense manufacturer, debuted the HAVOC missile system on Tuesday.

The medium-range hypersonic system is powered by a liquid rocket engine, is able to alter its speed in flight and can be adapted for use with a wide variety of rocket motor systems from warplanes to vertical launch systems.

Additionally, the system can be deployed outside of Earth’s atmosphere, according to the company.

“Keeping pace with our adversaries requires more than exquisite systems. It requires speed to delivery, affordability, and the ability to build at scale,” Chris Spagnoletti, CEO of Ursa Major, said in a statement.

“The Ursa Major HAVOC Missile System delivers a highly capable hypersonic weapon designed from the start to be produced rapidly and in quantity, giving the warfighter a credible and adaptable capability.”

The system has a core module that makes it suitable for striking hypersonic targets as well, the company adds.

Hypersonic missiles, which fly at roughly five times the speed of sound, have become a priority across all U.S. military branches.

The Army, Air Force and Navy are all developing hypersonic missile programs, including: the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon; the Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile; and the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike programs.

While the services have aimed for hypersonic weapons since the early 2000s, development has lagged while Russia and China have gained advantages in this arena.

In a notable divergence, Russian and Chinese hypersonic missiles are designed to field nuclear warheads, while U.S. hypersonics are not.

“Most U.S. hypersonic weapons, in contrast to those in Russia and China, are not being designed for use with a nuclear warhead,” according to a Congressional Research Service report published last August.

The report predicted that U.S. hypersonics would “likely require greater accuracy and will be more technically challenging to develop than nuclear-armed Chinese and Russian systems,” while also noting that Russian and Chinese systems would have a potential advantage since nuclear weapons can inflict devastating damage without need for accuracy.

China has a robust hypersonic program and has conducted up to 20 times as many hypersonic missile tests than the U.S., and is also investing in underground facilities, per the report.

“Analysts disagree about the strategic implications of hypersonic weapons,” the report notes, adding that Congress has previously restricted funding due to concerns of nuclear escalation.

“Differences in threat perception and escalation ladders could thus result in unintended escalation,” the report concluded.

The contract award, announced Wednesday, will see Davie Defense, Inc. manufacture two Arctic Security Cutters in Helsinki, Finland, and produce three in the United States. It follows two December awards to Rauma Marine Constructions Oy in Finland and Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.L.C. in Louisiana for six cutters of the same type.

The awards meet goals set out in a Presidential Memorandum signed by Trump in October for the production of up to four Arctic Security Cutters abroad to meet a gap in existing icebreaker vessels.

“These awards represent decisive action to guarantee American security in the Arctic,” Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement.

“The Arctic Security Cutters will deliver the essential capability to uphold U.S. sovereignty against adversaries’ aggressive economic and military actions in the Arctic. These cutters will ensure the Coast Guard’s ability to control, secure, and defend our northern border and maritime approaches — without question.”

The announcement also follows the Coast Guard’s investment of $323 million to renovate its base in Seattle, Washington, for modern icebreaker facilities.

As of last summer, the Coast Guard was operating with a lone heavy polar icebreaker, the USCGC Polar Star, and a single medium polar icebreaker, the USCGC Healy. The Polar Star is about five decades old and the Healy has been put out of action due to an electrical fire.

The lack of functioning icebreakers, in light of incursions by Russian and Chinese vessels, prompted the Department of Homeland Security last May to approve production of the service’s first polar security cutter to be built in nearly fifty years.

Signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in December, the guidance aims to create a clear framework for responding to unmanned aerial systems intruding near U.S. military bases.

The guidance allows military installation commanders to have greater authority and flexibility in neutralizing drones flying within sight of protected military areas, according to the release. The new policy also removes previous “fence-line” limitations around the bases, expanding the scope of what was previously considered base perimeters.

“Countering drones does not start and stop at the fence line,“ Brigadier General Matt Ross, director of JIATF-401, said in a release. ”With this new guidance installation commanders are empowered to address threats as they develop, and the guidance makes clear that unauthorized drone flights are a surveillance threat even before they breach an installation perimeter.”

Installation commanders are required to submit counter-drone defense plans for their bases within 60 days, with additional mandates for regular counter-drone drills and assessments of potential weak spots in base security that adversarial drone operators may exploit.

The guidance also allows installation commanders to share drone tracking information with federal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, it allows commanders to employ contractors to operate counter-drone systems.

The announcement comes amid rising surveillance concerns and drone intrusions near U.S. military bases, with a drone shot down near barracks housing American troops in Estonia last October.

Earlier this month, JIATF-401 made a contract award for two of the DroneHunter 4700 system, which pursues and captures other drones in midair using artificial intelligence and nets.

The new facility will provide the Navy with the ability to manufacture, test and assemble components used in electric power and propulsion for submarines and other vessels. It will also support the design and testing of naval steam turbine systems.

The facility will also produce systems for the Columbia-class submarine program, which has been designated as the Navy’s top priority program, per a December 2025 Congressional Research Service report.

It was estimated last June that the Columbia-class vessel would be delivered two years late and is now facing a delay of 17 months, which could potentially impact the development of Virginia-class submarines due to a spillover of heightened manufacturing demands, according to the report.

The report notes that “the emergence of an estimated 17-month delivery delay in spite of these efforts is a reflection of the depth of the challenges the Navy and industry currently face in executing Navy shipbuilding programs,” and adds that the Navy’s aging Ohio-class submarines will likely not be replaced on schedule.

Although it demonstrated devastating stealth and firepower during Operation Midnight Hammer in Iran, the Ohio is due for replacement, with the first vessel of its class reaching the end of its lifecycle by next year.

The opening of the new facility comes at a time when spurring the delivery of the first vessel of the Columbia class is urgently needed.

“The Department of War has been clear about the need to strengthen and expand the defense industrial base, and this investment answers that call,” John Baylouny, president and CEO of Leonardo DRS, said in a release.

“By increasing capacity and modernizing our manufacturing infrastructure, we are ensuring the U.S. military has reliable access to the critical capabilities it needs, when and where they are needed.”

The multiyear contract award, announced Wednesday, will see robots delivered to the services this year. The details of the award amount are not being disclosed at this time, an L3Harris spokesperson told Defense News.

The T7 is a robust robotic system with a highly maneuverable arm that can lift payloads weighing up to nearly 300 pounds and be fitted with a variety of interchangeable components that allow it to disarm bombs in diverse environments. Featuring a multicamera view, it can operate in a variety of confined spaces and also climb stairs.

The system delivers haptic feedback, or controlled vibrations, to give operators touch sensitivity as they are controlling the robotic arm, allowing them to dispose of dangerous materials from a distance with precision.

The award comes several years after the U.S. Air Force purchased 170 T7 robots in 2021 for its explosive ordnance disposal program. The first of those robots were delivered to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in 2022. Service personnel tasked with EOD missions who trained on the T7 stated at the time that they preferred it due to its long battery life, speed and flexibility.

“Recognized by both the Navy and Marines for outstanding dexterity and performance, L3Harris T7 robotic systems will provide them a significant advantage for their most challenging EOD missions,” Dave Kornick, president of intelligence and cyber, space and mission systems for L3Harris, said in a statement to Defense News.

The contract with the Defense Department will also see L3Harris provide comprehensive training to all service personnel on all aspects of operating the robots.

Capt. Garrett Miller, the commodore of Surface Development Group One, made the announcements Wednesday at the Surface Navy Association’s 38th National Symposium.

“My command is really focused on operationalizing USVs for the fleet. We’re driving that really hard,” Miller said. He added that working with fully autonomous vessels requires a “completely different mindset.”

Miller confirmed to Defense News that three early command USV divisions will be formed, with assumption of command set to take place next week in San Diego.

Miller said that the service’s long-anticipated Seahawk and Sea Hunter medium USVs will no longer be experimental and will be deployed this year, telling Defense News that the Seahawk will become part of a carrier strike group. The deployments will take place beginning in the next month.

The Seahawk and Sea Hunter are the Navy’s first medium autonomous USVs, and are both nearly 135 feet long. They are primed for surveillance, equipped to send data to manned ships to aid in anti-submarine warfare and to increase reconnaissance capabilities. They were previously used in fleet exercises in 2022 and 2023.

Miller said that the Navy grew the number of small USVs it had in the force from four to hundreds within 2025 alone, and has since established a warfare officer career path for unmanned systems.

He added that the Navy will continue to acquire USVs that have containerized payloads, which could deliver a variety of kinetic effects.

The landmark tactical exercise took place at the Pentagon’s Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Maryland. The advanced modeling and simulation technology at the JSE enables pilots to effectively gain flying experience on a variety of missions and practice tactics in a secure environment.

“Modern warfare is demanding more from our aviators. This milestone shows the Joint Simulation Environment’s impact on equipping them with the advanced tactics they need to win future battles,” NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. Todd Evans stated in a release.

The tactical exercise saw the F-35 pilots use the tablets to control multiple Collaborative Combat Aircraft at once. These autonomous unmanned systems, operating with artificial intelligence, can be used as “loyal wingmen” by aviators.

Both pilots and drones engaged in combat as partners during the training, communicating with each other and striking targets with precision-guided missiles.

Last year saw major developments in tactical human-machine teaming in the air, with U.S. Air Force pilots integrating two Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie drones into combat maneuvers at Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base. It also saw increased integration between Marine F-35 and Air Force F-22 pilots, who operated as a joint force for the first time last year in training at the JSE.

The JSE plans to add new aircraft and weapons systems to its training center in fiscal year 2026, which include the EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.