Raytheon, a business unit of RTX (NYSE: RTX), and Composite Energy Technologies (CET) have demonstrated the undersea launch capabilities of HADALUS, a new unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV), according to a company press release.

During a recent U.S. Navy exercise, the vehicle completed a series of at-sea missions on a Navy undersea test range, demonstrating its ability to launch while submerged. The Navy had not previously seen this integrated capability in the water.

HADALUS is a 34-foot UUV with a six-foot cross section and more than 2,000 nautical miles of endurance. It features a free-flooded, all-carbon-fiber exoskeleton. The companies state the vehicle is designed to cost roughly one-third to one-fifth of comparable long-endurance vehicles.

Raytheon and CET say they moved from a conceptual design to a working prototype in less than 18 months, funded through investment from both companies. The development included integration of a launcher, sonar, and electronics, as well as full system testing.

"This demonstration is an important step in a broader roadmap to deliver autonomous, end-to-end undersea capabilities that are far less detectable than surface platforms," said Jen Gauthier, vice president of Naval Systems & Sustainment at Raytheon.

"By combining CET's advanced composite vehicle architecture with Raytheon's mission systems, sensors and integration expertise, we have created a highly capable platform that can be produced at a fraction of the cost of conventional alternatives," said Chase Hogoboom, CEO and president of CET.