U.S. defense tech company Anduril Industries and South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are collaborating to expand American and allied seapower, combining software capabilities with manned and unmanned platforms, per Anduril Chief Strategy Officer Christian Brose. The partnership aims to develop new systems and consider innovative ideas to enhance seapower and deterrence for the Republic of Korean Navy and the U.S. Navy, including large unmanned surface and undersea vehicles.

Hyundai’s expertise in shipbuilding, mass manufacturing, and modern shipbuilding practices, along with Anduril’s design capabilities, mission autonomy, and software expertise, create a complementing partnership. Despite differences in size between offerings, the collaboration opens opportunities for very large unmanned or optionally manned systems. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has expressed interest in working with Hyundai to modernize shipyards using their manufacturing processes and technologies.

Anduril, known for its low-cost autonomous military systems and weapons, has developed a family of products based on its Lattice software platform that includes AI-enabled sensor fusion, mission autonomy, distributed network management, and command and control for robotic systems. HD Hyundai, with decades of experience in commercial and military vessel development, is the largest shipbuilding company in South Korea. The partnership aims to explore new capabilities through innovative ideas, leveraging both companies’ strengths for mutual benefit and advancement in seapower technologies.