CDR Salamander - HII and HHI partner to save USN's tail

We talked a bit about the national dysfunction that is our shipbuilding in the USA a bit on the last Midrats Podcast, and the amazing reality of how much we need South Korea’s expertise in an area we once were the world standard.

Demonstrating the strong pace of collaboration, in early October, the two companies agreed to jointly pursue the U.S. Navy’s next-generation logistics ship (NGLS) design contract. Leveraging HII’s complex shipbuilding experience and HHI’s expertise with proven designs in use with the Royal New Zealand and South Korean navies, the two companies will team to respond to the U.S. Navy’s recent request for proposal (RFP) for the concept design phase of the NGLS program.

“Through joint participation in U.S. Navy procurement programs and investments aimed at establishing ship production bases in the United States, the two nations’ key industries are taking a major step toward deeper strategic collaboration.” HHI President Joo Won-ho said. “We are confident that this partnership will generate powerful synergies by combining Korea’s cutting-edge shipbuilding technologies with the U.S. defense sector’s strong market competitiveness.”

HHI has a strong track record in this field, having delivered its first auxiliary vessel, HMNZS Endeavour, to New Zealand in 1987, followed by the HMNZS Aotearoa in 2020. The company has also supplied the Republic of Korea Navy with three Cheonji-class and one Soyang-class auxiliary ships, demonstrating its proven competitiveness.

The Sonyang is an attractive ship.

Here is the auxiliary they built for the Royal New Zealand Navy, the HMNZS Aotearoa.

Good ships from a great company.

We all know we are behind in the “unsexy but important” auxiliaries for any kind of war west of the International Date Line. We all know the shortcomings of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, and the parade of poor performance this century from NAVSEA.

Welcome the help. Encourage the effort. Get hulls displacing water sooner rather than later..

Good news.

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