HII has signed long-term performance-based production agreements with GrayMatter Robotics and Path Robotics to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced physical AI automation across US Navy shipbuilding programs.
Under the agreements, HII intends to award up to $900 million in shipbuilding work to the two companies over seven years, contingent on meeting technology, manufacturing readiness and performance milestones. The companies are team members of High-Yield Production Robotics (HYPR).
The signed agreements are designed to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced physical AI automation across US Navy shipbuilding programs, including aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, amphibious ships, future frigates and unmanned surface vessels.
This sustained demand signal enables Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics to make significant long-term investments in robotics, autonomous systems, facilities and workforce required to deliver Navy-grade production at scale.
“We are committed to making generational investments to develop new shipbuilding capability and to expand capacity,” said Eric Chewning, executive vice president of maritime systems and corporate strategy at HII.
“Together, we are defining a new approach to robotics in shipbuilding: automation that can adapt to extreme levels of complexity, mix, and size. This collaboration represents a strategic investment in the future of American shipbuilding — strengthening industrial base resilience, expanding distributed shipbuilding capacity, feeding critical materials to our shipyards and workforce, and unlocking new production efficiencies essential to delivering the Navy’s growing fleet.”
“For years, we've believed physical AI could fundamentally change manufacturing,” said Andy Lonsberry, CEO and co-founder of Path Robotics.
“HYPR is a powerful validation of our vision — that physical AI can scale shipbuilding capacity in one of the world's most demanding production environments. Together with HII, we're proud to be building the shipyard of the future, unlocking distributed shipbuilding, and establishing a blueprint for strengthening America's maritime industrial base.”
The performance-based production agreements are part of a broader set of strategic agreements that form the HYPR Program, including collaboration and joint development frameworks that establish governance, program execution, and long-term operational alignment among the companies. The companies expect the collaborative effort to push the boundaries of automation never seen before in shipbuilding.
The agreements are structured in two stages: a navy-grade development stage and a delivery stage. In the development stage, both companies will partner with HII to develop, validate and qualify high-precision production techniques for autonomous welding, grinding, blasting, painting, assembly, inspection and other fabrication processes, then integrate them into an autonomous production line.
The agreements establish a rigorous testing, qualification and oversight process to ensure that every technology meets the stringent standards of US Navy shipbuilding. In the delivery stage, HII will begin sourcing shipbuilding work from both companies through the new line, contingent upon favorable cost, schedule and quality performance.
The delivery stage is designed to augment HII’s current distributed shipbuilding strategy, starting with small steel structures and growing to include units and modules.
Credit: Path Robotics
Credit: GrayMatter Robotics