HII signs up to $900 million shipbuilding deals with HYPR robotics team

The seven-year agreements with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics are intended to accelerate physical AI automation across Navy ship programs, from carriers and submarines to future frigates and unmanned surface vessels.

Summary

HII announced long-term, performance-based production agreements with High-Yield Production Robotics team members GrayMatter Robotics and Path Robotics to speed deployment of advanced physical AI automation across U.S. Navy shipbuilding. The program, called HYPR, covers aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, amphibious ships, future frigates and unmanned surface vessels. HII said it intends to award up to $900 million in shipbuilding work over seven years, subject to the companies meeting defined technology, manufacturing readiness and performance milestones. The agreements are designed to support long-term investment in robotics, autonomous systems, facilities and workforce, while expanding HII’s distributed shipbuilding model. HII said its 2026 outsourcing target is more than 2.5 million hours of shipbuilding work, a 30% increase from 2025.

Terms & Concepts
  • physical AI: Artificial intelligence used in real-world machines and production systems.
  • distributed shipbuilding: Splitting ship construction across multiple partner sites before final assembly.
  • unmanned surface vessels: Crewless ships that operate on or near the water surface.