USS Delaware achieves first submarine torpedo tube launch and recovery of Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
The U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Delaware (SSN-791) has completed a milestone by conducting the first-ever launch and recovery of an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) via a submarine torpedo tube.
This historic operation, carried out in May 2025, demonstrates the Navy’s increasing integration of autonomous systems into its undersea warfare strategies. The event was part of a series of advanced capability demonstrations intended to validate the operational use of UUVs from Virginia-class submarines without the need for dry deck shelters.
The recovered UUV was launched using a standard 533 mm torpedo tube and executed a planned mission before being autonomously guided back to the submarine. The capability allows for expanded intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, mine detection, and seabed mapping—all without risking the crew.
The milestone underscores the U.S. Navy’s commitment to unmanned systems and their growing role in distributed maritime operations and undersea dominance.
