HD Hyundai, Huntington Ingalls join forces on Navy auxiliary ships

Joo Won-ho, third from left, president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Naval and Special Ship Business Unit, shakes hands with Eric Chewning, fourth from left, executive vice president of Maritime Systems and Corporate Strategy at Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Sunday, after signing a memorandum of agreement on cooperation for the construction of commercial and naval vessels. Courtesy of HD Hyundai

HD Hyundai has agreed to partner with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, to jointly build the U.S. Navy’s next-generation fleet auxiliary ships — marking the first-ever collaboration between Korea and the U.S. in naval shipbuilding.

On Sunday, HD Hyundai signed a memorandum of agreement with HII in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province — the host city of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit — to cooperate on the design and construction of naval and commercial vessels. The signing ceremony was attended by Joo Won-ho, president of the Naval and Special Ship Business Unit at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and Eric Chewning, executive vice president of Maritime Systems and Corporate Strategy at HII.

The next-generation auxiliary ships under development by the U.S. Navy are designed to deliver fuel and logistical supplies to combat vessels operating in forward areas. Featuring enhanced mobility and improved operational efficiency compared to existing replenishment ships, the new class is expected to play a key role in the Navy’s broader effort to modernize its logistics and replenishment fleet.

Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on the design and construction of the U.S. Navy’s next-generation auxiliary ships, while sharing technical expertise to enhance cost efficiency and shorten construction timelines in both naval and commercial shipbuilding. The U.S. Navy recently issued a request for proposals for the concept design phase of the next-generation auxiliary ship program.

HHI has a strong track record in this field, having delivered its first auxiliary vessel, HMNZS Endeavour, to New Zealand in 1987, followed by the HMNZS Aotearoa in 2020. The company has also supplied the Republic of Korea Navy with three Cheonji-class and one Soyang-class auxiliary ships, demonstrating its proven competitiveness.

The two companies also agreed to explore joint investments in U.S. shipbuilding facilities and component supply. HHI will provide block modules and key components to HII’s two major shipyards — Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding — as part of their expanded cooperation. They are also considering cooperation in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of vessels operated by the U.S. Navy and allied fleets.

“Through joint participation in U.S. Navy procurement programs and investments aimed at establishing ship production bases in the United States, the two nations’ key industries are taking a major step toward deeper strategic collaboration,” Joo said. “We are confident that this partnership will generate powerful synergies by combining Korea’s cutting-edge shipbuilding technologies with the U.S. defense sector’s strong market competitiveness.”

“This marks the beginning of deeper collaboration between not only our companies, but each of our countries, that will support enduring changes to military and commercial shipbuilding in America," Chewning said. "We look forward to working collaboratively with HHI, the U.S. and South Korean governments, and with our customers to transform the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base and enable accelerated throughput in our shipyards.”