South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Co. launched a 600-ton autonomous surface vessel (ASV) jointly developed with U.S. defense firm Anduril Industries on 12 Nov 2026, as the company seeks to expand into the U.S. market for unmanned naval vessels. The launching ceremony took place at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.'s shipyard in Ulsan, about 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The vessel integrates VAone, an autonomous navigation solution developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., with Anduril's Lattice platform, allowing it to carry out reconnaissance, surveillance and maritime intelligence-gathering missions without a crew. HD Hyundai plans to conduct sea trials off Ulsan before moving the vessel to the United States for further testing early next year to collect operational data. The effort is aimed at positioning HD Hyundai to compete for contracts in the U.S. Navy's unmanned vessel program. The Navy is building a hybrid fleet combining manned and unmanned ships to bolster its maritime capabilities, and in September it announced plans to procure 30 medium-sized ASVs. The launch follows an earlier demonstration by HD Hyundai and Anduril of a 368-ton autonomous test vessel near the Port of Long Beach in California last month, marking a continued push by the two companies into unmanned maritime defense technology.