HD Hyundai(267250) has become the first South Korean firm to secure a major research contract from the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), strengthening collaboration with the U.S. Navy on naval platforms.
HD Hyundai said on April 26 that it signed agreements at ONR headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, to carry out two research projects, including efforts to improve ship performance. ONR, part of the Department of the Navy, oversees science and technology R&D for the Navy and Marine Corps. The signing was attended by Jang Gwang‑pil, director and vice president of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering’s Future Technology Institute, and ONR Director Rachel Riley.
Under the contracts, HD Hyundai will lead a project applying artificial intelligence to enhance ship performance. The effort will build on the company’s digital-ship capabilities, with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Seoul National University’s Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering joining the development team.
At the same time, HD Hyundai won a contract to develop technologies aimed at boosting shipbuilding productivity. The Future Technology Institute at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will lead that work.
These awards position HD Hyundai as a key partner with the U.S. Navy for joint research spanning ship design through construction. Company officials said the contracts are meaningful because they represent ONR’s validation of the firm’s advanced naval technologies.
Joo Won‑ho, president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, “Winning these ONR projects gives us a platform to expand U.S. cooperation in the naval sector. We take pride in representing South Korea and will work to broaden the footprint of K‑maritime defense.”
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