US Navy and HII Complete Production of Mk 18 Mod 2 UUV

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Sailors assigned to Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, transport a Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish unmanned underwater vehicle during a mine countermeasures exercise. Charleston, part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, is on a rotational deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan M. Breeden)
The US Navy announced on February 3, 2023 a significant milestone in the delivery of unmanned undersea warfighting capability to the fleet. Production of the MK 18 Mod 2 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) program of record has completed.
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NAVSEA press release

Managed by the Expeditionary Missions program office under the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC), the MK 18 Mod 2 UUV program began production in 2012 through competitively awarded contracts with Hydroid, Inc. in Pocasset, Massachusetts (now owned by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)).  Since the initial production lot, more than 90 MK 18 Mod 2 UUV vehicles have been provided to the fleet. 

“The Department’s long-standing partnership with HII and their subcontractors demonstrates how mature technologies coupled with innovative acquisition approaches can speed the delivery of critical mission-enabling capabilities to our warfighting forces,”


Capt. Jon Haase, program manager of the Expeditionary Missions program office (PMS 408).

The MK 18 Mod 2 UUVs form a critical component in the Navy’s suite of Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM) Company’s mission capabilities.  ExMCM forces provide a rapid, world-wide mine countermeasure response capability that supports Joint Force maneuver in various maritime mission areas.  In July 2022, the Navy awarded the Medium Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (MUUV) contract to Leidos to design, test, and manufacture the next generation ExMCM MUUV, known as Viperfish. Viperfish will improve upon the current MK18 Mod 2 UUVs by providing increased ExMCM capabilities.

US sailors launch a Mk 18 MOD 2 unmanned underwater vehicle (made by Hydroid) from a rigid-hull inflatable boat during Squadex 2016. (U.S. Navy Combat Camera photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Blake Midnight/Released)
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