The Pentagon is moving beyond experimentation to fielding capability, and the selection of Anduril for the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP) project signals a major commitment to fielding unmanned systems at scale. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and U.S. Navy have chosen the company to deliver its Dive-XL vehicle, an extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) designed to carry substantial payloads over extended ranges, filling a critical void in the Navy’s operational toolkit.
Anduril’s selection was secured through a competitive process, bolstered by a truly compelling performance metric: the longest XL-AUV demonstration ever conducted. This trial validated the vehicle’s endurance and range in conditions mirroring real-world demands. Furthermore, the company’s existing fleet has amassed a staggering 6,752 hours of mission time and over 42,355 kilometers of submerged travel, de-risking the technology and proving its reliability for the demanding nature of distributed maritime operations.
What sets this contract apart is its focus on rapid, scalable production. Following the award, Anduril will execute another operationally focused demonstration of the Dive-XL within a lightning-fast four-month window. This isn’t just about proving the vehicle works; it’s about proving the system of design, testing, and manufacturing can deliver capability at an unprecedented pace.
This production-focused approach is already a reality. Anduril is leveraging its success with the Royal Australian Navy’s “Ghost Shark” program, which delivered a cutting-edge XL-AUV and a new production facility in record time. This cross-pollination of expertise allows Anduril to operate dual production lines. Vehicles are being built in Sydney, while a new, purpose-built factory in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, is gearing up to manufacture dozens of Dive-XLs and hundreds of its smaller sibling, the Dive-LD, every year.
This industrial capacity is the key to changing the underwater balance. It allows the U.S. and its allies to deploy swarms of persistent, long-range autonomous systems capable of holding adversaries at risk. By bridging the gap between innovative design and high-volume manufacturing, the Dive-XL program is laying the foundation for a new era of sea control.
