Anduril ramps Autonomous Underwater Vehicle production in the USA

As we see autonomous under water vehicles become more interesting to militaries around the world a new Rhode Island production facility will enable Anduril to increase production to 200 AUVs per year and create more than 100 jobs over the next five years as the company tries to build out manufacturing capacity that will help fill the world’s oceans with all kinds of robo subs. The factory announcement comes amid growing demand for Anduril’s AUVs, including an $18.6 million contract with the US Navy.

Anduril Industries is announcing a new manufacturing facility to support large-scale production of its Dive-LD family of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. By investing in a scaled production facility ahead of need, Anduril will be able to stay ahead of customer demand and deliver on orders with unprecedented speed.

Introducing Anduril Dive-XL

AUVs are transforming maritime deterrence by providing an affordable, distributed, and adaptable undersea capability that complements the US and allied submarine fleet. Developing, manufacturing, and fielding these systems at scale on an operationally-relevant timeline will be critical. The 100,000-150,000 square foot production facility will enable Anduril to immediately increase production capacity for its Dive-LD family of AUVs to more than 200 hulls per year. Anduril plans to create more than 100 jobs within five years of the facility opening in 2025.

"We are thrilled to build a state-of-the-art production manufacturing facility for our LD family of vehicles in Quonset Point. Affordable, distributed mass is a central tenet of undersea deterrence and we look forward to supporting large-scale, cost-effective AUV deployments with our new facility," said Shane Arnott, Senior Vice President at Anduril Industries.

"Our Maritime Division continues to develop advanced undersea capabilities and, with large contract awards both in the United States and Australia, we are committed to the mass manufacturing of those proven capabilities at speed and at scales that matter."

Anduril AUVs are designed from the ground-up for production at scale, with a heavy emphasis on commercial-off-the-shelf components with robust supply chains, a modular design, and advanced, scalable manufacturing techniques that enable rapid iterations based on customer needs. The facility is strategically located in close proximity to Anduril’s maritime engineering center in Quincy, Massachusetts, ensuring that products can be rapidly updated based on customer feedback, even in the midst of full-rate production. The production facility will be able to accommodate the complete lifecycle of the hull - from R&D through sustainment - with dedicated onsite testing facilities, service bays, and more. This manufacturing facility will enable Anduril to produce AUVs at scale and create a paradigm shift in maritime deterrence that places a greater emphasis on unmanned and autonomous systems.

The factory announcement comes amid growing demand from defense and commercial customers. The US Navy, for example, recently awarded Anduril an $18.6 million contract to cover an initial buy of Dive AUVs through the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (LDUUV) prototyping effort, following a “swim-off” competition late last year.

“Over the last 6 months, the US Navy, in partnership with DIU and Congress, has driven an aggressive program timeline to put vendors on contract, acquire capabilities, and rapidly demonstrate those capabilities with warfighters,” said Nick Stoner, Director at Anduril Industries. “This contract is a fantastic example of how the US Navy can incentivize industry to make capital investments and produce the kinds of undersea asymmetric advantages our Fleet Commanders need, on the timelines they need them.”

Driven by Anduril’s investment in long-range, autonomous undersea capabilities, the Dive family of AUVs has emerged as the leading solution for a variety of missions, including operational preparation of the environment, surveillance and reconnaissance, mine warfare, subsea and seabed warfare, seafloor mapping, and more. Now, with a larger manufacturing facility under construction, Anduril will be able to rapidly scale production and accelerate delivery to customers.

This announcement comes as Anduril continues to advance critical, distributed maritime missions around the world through large and extra large autonomous subsurface capabilities. Earlier this year, Anduril unveiled the first prototype Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle, developed and delivered ahead of schedule and on-budget at its Sydney, Australia location in partnership with the Royal Australian Navy, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).

Anduril is a defense technology company on a mission to transform US and allied militaries with advanced technology. Anduril is committed to delivering innovative maritime capabilities that will transform deterrence in an increasingly complex global security environment for the U.S. and its allies.

“Anduril joins an esteemed list of the nation’s leading defense contractors with operations in Rhode Island, like General Dynamics Electric Boat, Raytheon, and Textron, among others,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Their addition further demonstrates Quonset as a hub of good-paying, quality jobs for Rhode Islanders that will help our state in raising incomes for all.”

"We welcome Anduril to the Ocean State," said Secretary of Commerce Liz Tanner, "Their presence will not only create high-paying jobs but also drive innovation in ocean technology, helping to establish Rhode Island's position as a leader in the blue economy."