Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Path Robotics signed a memorandum of understanding on February 17, 2026, at Path’s Columbus, Ohio headquarters, to explore the integration of Path’s Obsidian™ physical AI welding technology into HII’s shipyards.
The partnership targets a 15% increase in shipbuilding throughput for 2026, building on HII’s 14% gain in 2025. Path’s AI system is designed to adapt to the complex, variable conditions of naval construction, and the collaboration will also investigate applying the technology to HII’s ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels, which feature modular, AI‑enabled designs and are slated for sea trials in late 2026.
HII’s 2025 financial results provide context for the partnership: the company reported $12.5 billion in revenue, an 8.2% year‑over‑year rise, and diluted earnings per share of $15.39. Q4 2025 revenue reached $3.5 billion, up 16% from the same quarter in 2024, underscoring the firm’s strong demand and operational momentum.
Path Robotics, which has raised $271 million in funding as of December 2025, is addressing a projected shortage of 320,500 new welders by 2029. Its Obsidian AI model is purpose‑built to see, understand, and adapt to real‑world conditions in real time, a capability that is especially valuable in the highly variable shipbuilding environment.
"We are excited to partner with Path Robotics to incorporate their state‑of‑the‑art physical AI models to further augment our workforce and speed up U.S. Navy manned and unmanned shipbuilding production. Our shipbuilding throughput was up 14% in 2025 and we are looking for an additional 15% increase in 2026. By working with new partners like Path Robotics, we can further accelerate shipbuilding production. I look forward to jointly developing an autonomous AI‑based welding solution that can help us meet Navy standards and be scaled in our shipyard facilities. Navigating this transformational partnership has the potential to increase our throughput efficiency without sacrificing quality." – Eric Chewning, Executive Vice President of Maritime Systems and Corporate Strategy, HII
"Welding is one of the hardest processes to automate in any industry, and shipbuilding is no exception. Path's physical AI is purpose‑built for that challenge—seeing, understanding, and adapting to real‑world conditions in real time. We're honored to work alongside HII to help modernize defense manufacturing and strengthen the naval industrial base for decades to come." – Andy Lonsberry, CEO and Co‑Founder, Path Robotics
The collaboration signals HII’s commitment to modernizing its shipbuilding operations and addressing workforce shortages. By leveraging Path’s AI, HII aims to maintain quality while scaling production, positioning itself to meet the U.S. Navy’s expanding fleet requirements and reinforcing its competitive edge in the defense industry.
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