HII and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries sign MoU to explore shipbuilding collaboration
An image of the potential KDDX, from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. (Photo: HD HHI)
The Memorandum of Understanding focused on speeding up naval shipbuilding and production in both companies.
Huntington Ingalls Industry (HII) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Sea Air Space Conference, to “explore opportunities to collaborate on accelerating ship production in support of defence and commercial shipbuilding projects”.
HII is one of the shipbuilders behind some of the US Navy’s (USN’s) leading naval shipbuilding programmes, including the Arleigh Burke destroyer programme and the Virginia-class submarine programme.
However, several major US shipbuilding programmes are significantly behind their deadlines and significantly over-budget, including the Virginia-class submarines.
The National Security Journal recently calculated that the Virginia-class submarine project alone was 410 months
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature]()
Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature
Andrea Simone Pinna, OCCAR-EA combat system officer for the U212 NFS programme, outlined production progress, new capabilities and plans for the Italian Navy’s next-generation conventional submarine.
-
![AUKUS settles into steadier waters as industrial pathways widen]()
AUKUS settles into steadier waters as industrial pathways widen
Sessions at UDT 2026 signalled that the AUKUS programme is pressing ahead at a steady pace – with trilateral commitment reaffirmed, Australian industrial capacity expanding and additive manufacturing emerging as an opportunity for suppliers.
-
![How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats]()
How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats
Designed in 2019, Canada's new River-class destroyers are planned to be handed over by the 2050s. The long procurement timeline has cast doubt on whether the platforms will be obsolete for tomorrow’s warfare.
-
![Latest Russian subsea standoff puts pressure on the UK’s seabed defence strategy]()
Latest Russian subsea standoff puts pressure on the UK’s seabed defence strategy
UK defence secretary John Healey’s exposure of a covert Russian deep-sea operation against undersea infrastructure in the Atlantic validates the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Bastion concept but lays bare a capacity gap that autonomous systems, allied integration and sustained investment must close.
