Anduril Acquired Underwater Modem Firm Popoto
The defense technology company purchased the Massachusetts-based acoustic communications developer.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Robotics
Live Poll
Do you believe the acquisition of underwater tech firms by larger defense contractors strengthens national security?
Anduril Industries has acquired Popoto Modem to bolster its maritime autonomous capabilities. The two companies collaborated for over a year before finalizing the deal.
Why it matters
The acquisition aims to replace expensive, restrictive undersea communications hardware with scalable technology. This move is designed to allow a single operator to command large formations of autonomous underwater vehicles.
Popoto Modem specializes in underwater acoustic communications technology that enables multi-node mesh networking. This hardware facilitates data exchange between autonomous underwater vehicles and surface vessels.
The players
Anduril Industries
Anduril is a defense technology company that specializes in autonomous systems and advanced hardware for military and maritime applications.
Popoto Modem
Popoto Modem is a Massachusetts-based company that develops underwater acoustic communications technology for maritime networking.
The details
Anduril will integrate this acoustic modem technology directly into its Copperhead family of autonomous underwater vehicles. By streamlining communication, the company intends to accelerate the production and deployment of its maritime platform systems.
Timeline
Over the past year, Anduril and Popoto Modem collaborated on product integrations.
During 2026, Anduril demonstrated platform integration at BlueTIDE and Lanternfish exercises.
On October 7, 2026, Anduril announced the acquisition of Popoto Modem.
The Tech Race
This acquisition represents a critical shift in the autonomous maritime sector, moving away from legacy, high-cost acoustic hardware toward integrated mesh networking. By internalizing this capability, Anduril is positioning itself to dominate the command-and-control market for large-scale underwater robotic fleets.
The integration of this technology will likely improve the reliability and scale of maritime autonomous deployments, offering more efficient operations for defense stakeholders. Users and developers can expect enhanced mesh networking capabilities to simplify the coordination of underwater assets.
The takeaway
The move signifies a broader industry shift toward vertical integration of communications hardware in robotic systems. Improving inter-vehicle connectivity remains the primary obstacle to fielding larger and more complex autonomous maritime formations.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in Robotics.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ocean News & Technology.
Live Poll
Do you believe the acquisition of underwater tech firms by larger defense contractors strengthens national security?
