HII Signs $900M Production Agreements with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics

HII has signed long-term performance-based production agreements with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced physical AI automation across U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs.

The multi-year agreements, valued at up to $900 million over seven years, form part of HII's High-Yield Production Robotics (HYPR) Program. The collaboration transforms how complex structures for aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, amphibious ships, future frigates, and unmanned surface vessels are fabricated, assembled, and outfitted.

Eric Chewning, executive vice president of maritime systems and corporate strategy at HII, stated:

"We are committed to making generational investments to develop new shipbuilding capability and to expand capacity. 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."

The agreements are structured in two stages: a Navy-grade development stage and a delivery stage. The development stage focuses on qualifying autonomous techniques for welding, grinding, blasting, painting, assembly, and inspection. The delivery stage will source production work contingent upon cost, schedule, and quality performance.

Andy Lonsberry, CEO and co-founder of Path Robotics, stated:

"For years, we've believed physical AI could fundamentally change manufacturing. 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."

Ariyan Kabir, CEO and co-founder of GrayMatter Robotics, stated:

"This agreement represents an important milestone in bringing Factory SuperIntelligence to America's leading shipbuilding company. By combining Physical AI with autonomous production systems, we're helping create manufacturing that learns, adapts, and improves over time, making complex shipbuilding faster, more resilient, and more scalable. Together with HII and Path Robotics, we're laying the foundation for the next generation of American industrial capability and helping ensure that the United States can build critical assets at the speed and scale our national security demands."

HII plans to outsource more than 2.5 million hours of shipbuilding work in 2026, a 30% increase from 2025, as part of its distributed shipbuilding strategy.