HD Hyundai is accelerating its entry into the naval markets of both South Korea and the United States by expanding cooperation with U.S. AI defense company Anduril Industries.
HD Hyundai Press Release – Translated by Naval News
On Wednesday the 6th, HD Hyundai announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for naval vessel development cooperation with Anduril at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center (GRC) in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The signing ceremony was attended by Joo Won-ho, Head of the Naval & Special Ship Business Unit (NSSBU) at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril.
The MOA builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two companies in April, further detailing the partnership. Under the agreement, the two sides will exchange HD Hyundai’s vessel autonomy technology and naval vessel design and construction capabilities with Anduril’s mission autonomy solutions.
Specifically, in the Korean market, Anduril’s mission autonomy solution will be installed on unmanned surface vessels (USVs) currently under development by HD Hyundai. In the U.S. market, HD Hyundai will handle the design and construction of manned and unmanned vessels developed under Anduril’s leadership, while also providing its vessel autonomy technology.
The companies have also agreed to jointly develop prototypes of USVs for both the Korean and U.S. markets. In particular, the Korean USV prototype is scheduled to be unveiled around 2027.
“Unmanned vessels are the core and essential element of future naval warfare. By working with Anduril, which possesses world-class mission autonomy technology, we aim to develop the best unmanned vessels in the world.”
Joo Won-ho, Head of the Naval & Special Ship Business Unit at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
“We are delighted to be able to cooperate with HD Hyundai, which has world-class technology in naval vessel design and construction, as we work to enter the U.S. naval vessel market, including unmanned vessels being pursued by Anduril. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership in both the U.S. and Korean markets for a win-win outcome.”
Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril
In June, HD Hyundai signed a partnership with U.S. shipbuilding group Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) for U.S. merchant vessel construction. In April, the company also signed MOUs with Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest defense shipbuilder in the U.S., and Fairbanks Morse Defense, a key defense equipment supplier, as part of its ongoing expansion of cooperation with the United States in the shipbuilding and maritime sectors.
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