Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with GrayMatter Robotics to deploy the company’s Factory SuperIntelligence platform in its shipyards. The partnership will be demonstrated on April 6 at GrayMatter’s headquarters in Carson, California, and will integrate the platform’s physical‑AI capabilities into HII’s surface‑prep, coating, and inspection processes.
GrayMatter’s platform is designed to handle complex, high‑mix manufacturing tasks and promises a 12‑fold increase in throughput and a 95% reduction in rework. The technology has already processed more than 30 million square feet of surface area across multiple industries, and the partnership will bring that same level of automation to HII’s shipbuilding workflow.
HII’s recent operational gains set the stage for this move. The company reported a 14% year‑over‑year throughput rise in 2025 and achieved $250 million in annualized cost reductions, while setting a 15% throughput target for 2026. The partnership also dovetails with HII’s Mission Technologies segment, which is expanding into higher‑margin autonomous systems.
"We made solid progress on our operational initiatives in 2025 and enter 2026 with strong momentum. With more than 40 ships at Ingalls and Newport News in active construction or modernization, our focus in 2026 is clear: We must build on this momentum, and continue to increase our shipbuilding throughput," said HII CEO Chris Kastner. Kastner added, "We also noted a cost reduction target of $250 million was met, mainly through overhead and support labor cuts."
The partnership is expected to reduce labor costs, accelerate production of nuclear‑powered carriers and submarines, and strengthen HII’s competitive moat by embedding advanced automation into its core shipbuilding workflow. By improving throughput and cutting rework, the collaboration supports HII’s position as the sole U.S. builder of nuclear‑powered carriers and a leading submarine manufacturer, while also advancing the company’s broader strategy of expanding into autonomous systems.
The memorandum of understanding is not a new contract award but represents a significant shift in HII’s manufacturing strategy, positioning the company to sustain its momentum and meet its 2026 throughput and cost‑reduction targets.
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