The DIU launched the competition in May 2026 to identify modular, resilient technology capable of operating in contested environments. Vatn Systems entered its SIGURD platform, a configuration of the company’s Skelmir S6 vehicle developed by former Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians. During the testing phase, the system autonomously reacquired and engaged targets, mirroring the stressors of actual naval combat.
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Vatn Systems Secures DIU Prize for Autonomous Mine Countermeasures
In the choppy waters off Bristol, Rhode Island, the SIGURD system from Vatn Systems navigated a series of live evaluations to claim victory in the Department of War Innovation Unit’s Mine Countermeasure Modernization Prize Challenge, proving its ability to detect and neutralize underwater threats without human intervention.
Nelson Mills, CEO of Vatn Systems, noted that the win validates the company’s push for scalable undersea superiority. The system was built in just weeks, signaling a shift toward rapidly fieldable defense hardware. By keeping personnel at a safe standoff distance, the technology addresses a long-standing gap in naval warfare where mine clearance remains both technically demanding and chronically underfunded.
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