Latest news with #BrianBlanchette
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HII Hosts HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Leaders at Ingalls Shipbuilding
PASCAGOULA, Miss., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) hosted HD Hyundai Heavy Industries leaders at the company's Ingalls Shipbuilding division Tuesday, advancing joint goals of the memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies earlier this month. The visit focused on identifying near-term opportunities and exploring the implementation of new processes that could support the acceleration of ship production. 'This visit is a continuation of the important dialogue taking place between HII and our international partners,' Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette said. 'Today's visit allowed us to showcase the great work our Ingalls shipbuilders do every day in support of national security and an opportunity to exchange ideas on best practices, while examining what we can begin working on right away.' The visit included meetings with Ingalls leadership, a tour of the shipyard and a stop at the company's new virtual welding lab, where the group experienced how this immersive, hands-on training environment is not only enhancing the skills of current and future shipbuilders, but also setting a new national benchmark for how technology can be leveraged to grow a highly proficient workforce in this essential trade. Photos accompanying this release are available at: 'We appreciate the opportunity to visit our partners at HII and see how they are using technology to enhance efficiency and quality at Ingalls,' Chief Executive of the Naval & Special Ship at HHI Won-ho Joo said. 'We look forward to building on the strong foundation set by our recent MOU announcement.' HII and HHI are two of the world's leading shipbuilders across multiple classes of ships. By working with shipbuilding allies, this strategic partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of both companies to advance technological innovation, maximize production efficiency, and strengthen the global defense industry. About HII HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII's mission is to deliver the world's most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world. As the nation's largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII's workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit: HII on the web: HII on Facebook: HII on X: HII on Instagram: HII Contact: Kimberly K. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
CNN
08-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
US and South Korean warship makers sign deal that could help narrow naval race with China
America's largest military shipbuilder has signed a deal with a South Korean company that experts say could be a big step in helping the US Navy build new warships to keep pace with rival China in fleet size. Virginia-based HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries inked the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday at a defense exhibition in Maryland. 'Today's agreement reflects our commitment to explore all opportunities to expand US shipbuilding capacity in support of national security,' HII Executive Vice President Brian Blanchette said at a ceremony at the Sea Air Space 2025 exposition. 'By working with our shipbuilding allies and sharing best practices, we believe this MOU offers real potential to help accelerate delivery of quality ships.' A Hyundai Heavy Industries statement noted that both HII and the South Korean shipyard build Aegis destroyers, the backbones of the US and South Korean surface fleets. Aegis ships provide protection against missile threats, including powerful ballistic missiles in the arsenals of rivals China and North Korea. 'This MOU is particularly significant as it marks the first collaboration between two leading shipbuilding companies from Korea and the US, both of which have the capability to construct the world's most advanced Aegis ships,' the statement said. Hyundai Heavy Industries operates the world's largest shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, and it builds 10% of the world's ships, according to the company's website. Analysts have long called for the US to take steps with allies like South Korea and Japan to cooperate on naval shipbuilding as Chinese shipyards have been churning out warships at breakneck speed, giving the People's Liberation Army Navy the world's largest fleet. Meanwhile, Washington has failed to keep pace, due in large part to limited capacity in shipyard space and insufficient workers in the US. 'This agreement is a strong start towards alleviating the impact of America's shortfall in shipbuilding capacity,' said Hawaii-based analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain. Schuster said while changes would be needed to US law to enable the South Korean shipyard to begin fully constructing destroyers for the US Navy, the pact signed Monday could yield immediate benefits. '(US) law does not prohibit using foreign yards to repair and do maintenance on US Navy ships, and we have a 36-month backlog on shipyard maintenance and hull refurbishment,' he said. Another South Korean shipyard, Hanwha Ocean, last month completed a seven-month overhaul of a US Military Sealift Command supply ship, the USNS Wally Schirra, a feat a US Navy admiral called a 'landmark achievement.' 'Maintenance in Theater reduces downtime and costs, while enhancing operational readiness,' Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander of US Naval Forces Korea, said in a statement. But cooperation between the builders of Aegis destroyers takes the alliance to a higher level. 'We aim to enhance the shipbuilding capacities and capabilities of both nations and, furthermore, to contribute to the strengthening of bilateral security cooperation,' said Joo Wonho, chief executive of naval and special shipbuilding at Hyundai Heavy, in a statement. South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon called the deal 'a new win-win model of shipbuilding and defense industry cooperation between South Korea and the United States.' 'With Korean shipyards directly participating in the enhancement of US naval power, it is also expected to contribute to ROK-US security cooperation, including efforts to keep China in check,' Yu said. ROK stands for Republic of Korea. Schuster sees another big benefit from the deal. 'Hyundai and Huntington can use the agreement to train new American workers for HII's shipyards. A labor shortage is the primary limiting factor in America's shipyard capacity,' he said. If it can eventually be worked out that warships for the US Navy could be built in South Korea, the impact could be even more substantial. Woo-man Jeong, Hyundai Heavy's specialized ship business division managing director, told South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper last month that his company could build five or more Aegis destroyers a year. US shipyards average two or fewer destroyers built per year. The HII-Hyundai deal follows a big investment in US-based shipbuilding last year by Hanwha Ocean, when it purchased Philly Shipyard, which builds mainly commercial vessels but also does maintenance and repair work on government vessels. Bence Nemeth, a senior lecturer at King's College London, said after the Philly Shipyard deal that US-South Korea shipbuilding cooperation benefits the security of both countries. 'In the short term, the US Navy will benefit from increased availability of ships, and in the medium term, it could accelerate the growth of its fleet. This can help Washington maintain its global maritime dominance,' Nemeth wrote on the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy's website. 'A strong U.S. Navy is also crucial for South Korean national security, as it helps deter North Korean aggression,' Nemeth said. CNN's Gawon Bae contributed to this report.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US, South Korean warship makers sign deal that could help narrow naval race with China
America's largest military shipbuilder has signed a deal with a South Korean company that experts say could be a big step in helping the US Navy build new warships to keep pace with rival China in fleet size. Virginia-based HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries inked the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday at a defense exhibition in Maryland. 'Today's agreement reflects our commitment to explore all opportunities to expand US shipbuilding capacity in support of national security,' HII Executive Vice President Brian Blanchette said at a ceremony at the Sea Air Space 2025 exposition. 'By working with our shipbuilding allies and sharing best practices, we believe this MOU offers real potential to help accelerate delivery of quality ships.' A Hyundai Heavy Industries statement noted that both HII and the South Korean shipyard build Aegis destroyers, the backbones of the US and South Korean surface fleets. Aegis ships provide protection against missile threats, including powerful ballistic missiles in the arsenals of rivals China and North Korea. 'This MOU is particularly significant as it marks the first collaboration between two leading shipbuilding companies from Korea and the US, both of which have the capability to construct the world's most advanced Aegis ships,' the statement said. Hyundai Heavy Industries operates the world's largest shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, and it builds 10% of the world's ships, according to the company's website. Analysts have long called for the US to take steps with allies like South Korea and Japan to cooperate on naval shipbuilding as Chinese shipyards have been churning out warships at breakneck speed, giving the People's Liberation Army Navy the world's largest fleet. Meanwhile, Washington has failed to keep pace, due in large part to limited capacity in shipyard space and insufficient workers in the US. 'This agreement is a strong start towards alleviating the impact of America's shortfall in shipbuilding capacity,' said Hawaii-based analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain. Schuster said while changes would be needed to US law to enable the South Korean shipyard to begin fully constructing destroyers for the US Navy, the pact signed Monday could yield immediate benefits. '(US) law does not prohibit using foreign yards to repair and do maintenance on US Navy ships, and we have a 36-month backlog on shipyard maintenance and hull refurbishment,' he said. Another South Korean shipyard, Hanwha Ocean, last month completed a seven-month overhaul of a US Military Sealift Command supply ship, the USNS Wally Schirra, a feat a US Navy admiral called a 'landmark achievement.' 'Maintenance in Theater reduces downtime and costs, while enhancing operational readiness,' Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander of US Naval Forces Korea, said in a statement. But cooperation between the builders of Aegis destroyers takes the alliance to a higher level. 'We aim to enhance the shipbuilding capacities and capabilities of both nations and, furthermore, to contribute to the strengthening of bilateral security cooperation,' said Joo Wonho, chief executive of naval and special shipbuilding at Hyundai Heavy, in a statement. Schuster sees another big benefit from the deal. 'Hyundai and Huntington can use the agreement to train new American workers for HII's shipyards. A labor shortage is the primary limiting factor in America's shipyard capacity,' he said. If it can eventually be worked out that warships for the US Navy could be built in South Korea, the impact could be even more substantial. Woo-man Jeong, Hyundai Heavy's specialized ship business division managing director, told South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper last month that his company could build five or more Aegis destroyers a year. US shipyards average two or fewer destroyers built per year. The HII-Hyundai deal follows a big investment in US-based shipbuilding last year by Hanwha Ocean, when it purchased Philly Shipyard, which builds mainly commercial vessels but also does maintenance and repair work on government vessels. Bence Nemeth, a senior lecturer at King's College London, said after the Philly Shipyard deal that US-South Korea shipbuilding cooperation benefits the security of both countries. 'In the short term, the US Navy will benefit from increased availability of ships, and in the medium term, it could accelerate the growth of its fleet. This can help Washington maintain its global maritime dominance,' Nemeth wrote on the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy's website. 'A strong U.S. Navy is also crucial for South Korean national security, as it helps deter North Korean aggression,' Nemeth said. CNN's Gawon Bae contributed to this report.
Korea Herald
08-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
HD Hyundai, Huntington Ingalls forge partnership to boost US naval shipbuilding
HD Hyundai signed a memorandum of understanding with Huntington Ingalls Industries, a US-based defense shipbuilder, on Monday, marking a major step in the Korean shipbuilding giant's expansion into the US naval market. The signing ceremony took place at Huntington Ingalls' exhibition booth during the Sea Air Space 2025 exhibition in Washington. Huntington Ingalls operates Ingalls Shipbuilding, the largest surface shipyard in the US, which builds two-thirds of the US Navy's Aegis destroyers and all large amphibious assault ships and national security cutters. Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate to improve shipbuilding productivity, reduce costs and delivery times and advance the digital transformation of shipyards through automation, robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. The two companies also plan to explore joint investment opportunities, expand cooperation in workforce training and strengthen supply chain collaboration. This partnership further aims to advance the integration of process automation, robotics and AI in the development of digital shipyards, alongside workforce strategy and components outsourcing. In line with these goals, both parties are exploring opportunities for future joint investments. As this agreement marks the first collaboration between leading Korean and US naval shipbuilders, it is expected to serve as a foundation for deeper bilateral cooperation. 'This collaboration between Korea and the US will help advance both nations' shipbuilding industries and further strengthen defense ties," said Joo Won-ho, head of special ship business at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. Brian Blanchette, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, added, "This agreement marks a pivotal first step in enhancing shipbuilding capabilities through cooperation between allied nations. By combining our expertise, we will make a meaningful contribution to the construction of high-quality ships that will support the global national security."
CNN
08-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
US, South Korea warship makers sign deal that could help narrow naval race with China
America's largest military shipbuilder has signed a deal with a South Korean company that experts say could be a big step in helping the US Navy build new warships to keep pace with rival China in fleet size. Virginia-based HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries inked the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday at a defense exhibition in Maryland. 'Today's agreement reflects our commitment to explore all opportunities to expand US shipbuilding capacity in support of national security,' HII Executive Vice President Brian Blanchette said at a ceremony at the Sea Air Space 2025 exposition. 'By working with our shipbuilding allies and sharing best practices, we believe this MOU offers real potential to help accelerate delivery of quality ships.' A Hyundai Heavy Industries statement noted that both HII and the South Korean shipyard build Aegis destroyers, the backbones of the US and South Korean surface fleets. Aegis ships provide protection against missile threats, including powerful ballistic missiles in the arsenals of rivals China and North Korea. 'This MOU is particularly significant as it marks the first collaboration between two leading shipbuilding companies from Korea and the US, both of which have the capability to construct the world's most advanced Aegis ships,' the statement said. Hyundai Heavy Industries operates the world's largest shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, and it builds 10% of the world's ships, according to the company's website. Analysts have long called for the US to take steps with allies like South Korea and Japan to cooperate on naval shipbuilding as Chinese shipyards have been churning out warships at breakneck speed, giving the People's Liberation Army Navy the world's largest fleet. Meanwhile, Washington has failed to keep pace, due in large part to limited capacity in shipyard space and insufficient workers in the US. 'This agreement is a strong start towards alleviating the impact of America's shortfall in shipbuilding capacity,' said Hawaii-based analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain. Schuster said while changes would be needed to US law to enable the South Korean shipyard to begin fully constructing destroyers for the US Navy, the pact signed Monday could yield immediate benefits. '(US) law does not prohibit using foreign yards to repair and do maintenance on US Navy ships, and we have a 36-month backlog on shipyard maintenance and hull refurbishment,' he said. Another South Korean shipyard, Hanwha Ocean, last month completed a seven-month overhaul of a US Military Sealift Command supply ship, the USNS Wally Schirra, a feat a US Navy admiral called a 'landmark achievement.' 'Maintenance in Theater reduces downtime and costs, while enhancing operational readiness,' Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander of US Naval Forces Korea, said in a statement. But cooperation between the builders of Aegis destroyers takes the alliance to a higher level. 'We aim to enhance the shipbuilding capacities and capabilities of both nations and, furthermore, to contribute to the strengthening of bilateral security cooperation,' said Joo Wonho, chief executive of naval and special shipbuilding at Hyundai Heavy, in a statement. Schuster sees another big benefit from the deal. 'Hyundai and Huntington can use the agreement to train new American workers for HII's shipyards. A labor shortage is the primary limiting factor in America's shipyard capacity,' he said. If it can eventually be worked out that warships for the US Navy could be built in South Korea, the impact could be even more substantial. Woo-man Jeong, Hyundai Heavy's specialized ship business division managing director, told South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper last month that his company could build five or more Aegis destroyers a year. US shipyards average two or fewer destroyers built per year. The HII-Hyundai deal follows a big investment in US-based shipbuilding last year by Hanwha Ocean, when it purchased Philly Shipyard, which builds mainly commercial vessels but also does maintenance and repair work on government vessels. Bence Nemeth, a senior lecturer at King's College London, said after the Philly Shipyard deal that US-South Korea shipbuilding cooperation benefits the security of both countries. 'In the short term, the US Navy will benefit from increased availability of ships, and in the medium term, it could accelerate the growth of its fleet. This can help Washington maintain its global maritime dominance,' Nemeth wrote on the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy's website. 'A strong U.S. Navy is also crucial for South Korean national security, as it helps deter North Korean aggression,' Nemeth said. CNN's Gawon Bae contributed to this report.
