Hanwha Ocean and Leidos are working together to design and develop next-generation US Navy ships and expand naval shipbuilding capacity.
Their collaboration centers on adapting Hanwha ship designs to meet US Navy requirements, co-developing surface combatant concepts, and building a more distributed supply chain linking US and South Korean shipbuilding bases.
Hanwha brings large-scale shipbuilding capability, including experience in submarines and surface combatants, while its US-based Philly Shipyard is expected to play a growing role in future cooperation under the US-Korea shipbuilding framework.
Leidos contributes naval systems engineering and autonomy technologies through its Gibbs & Cox division, which has designed a large share of US Navy surface combatants since World War II.
Shipbuilding Industry Deals
The Hanwha-Leidos agreement fits into a broader trend of expanding collaboration across the US naval industrial base as programs seek to increase output and modernize fleet design.
In December 2025, General Dynamics partnered with South Korea’s DSEC and Samsung Heavy Industries to expand cooperation on vessel design, manufacturing automation, and related technologies for the US market.
In October 2025, HII and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed an agreement to cooperate on commercial and military shipbuilding, including joint pursuit of US Navy auxiliary programs.
