Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has forged strategic partnership with C3 AI, an enterprise AI application software company, to bolster its shipbuilding capabilities.
The partners will expand digital technology usage and integrate AI to improve the efficiency of shipbuilding processes at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding divisions.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The integration of AI solutions by HII will span across planning, operations, supply chain management, and labour allocation.
Initially, the partners will focus on employing AI to optimise planning and scheduling tasks within HII’s two shipbuilding divisions namely Ingalls Shipbuilding and Newport News Shipbuilding.
Ingalls Shipbuilding focuses on developing amphibious ships and destroyers and Newport News Shipbuilding builds nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines for the US Navy.
Additionally, the partnership between HII and C3 AI will explore potential advancements in the production and maintenance of uncrewed vehicles.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThese efforts are anticipated to expedite production timelines and enhanced fleet readiness for the US Navy.
HII CEO Chris Kastner said: “Increasing shipbuilding throughput is a critical priority for HII and the US Navy. We’re proud to partner with C3 AI to leverage data and digital capabilities like artificial intelligence in the urgent work of delivering ships to the US Navy.”
The partnership follows a six-month Enterprise AI production deployment programme at Ingalls Shipbuilding.
During this programme, shipbuilding teams used complex algorithms to refine and improve work schedules, the companies stated.
The deployment of C3 AI’s application, powered by the C3 Agentic AI Platform, led to marked enhancements in schedule performance. These improvements are now set to be expanded across HII’s shipyard operations.
C3 AI chairman and CEO Thomas Siebel said: “This collaboration underscores our growing role as a strategic provider to the US government and defence sector.
“By deploying Enterprise AI across planning, operations, and the supply chain, we are powering a modern, intelligent infrastructure to ensure America’s edge in naval readiness.”
In March 2025, HII division Ingalls Shipbuilding launched the US Navy’s third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer, the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129).
