HII wagering on unmanned systems

WASHINGTON - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is taking a large wager on unmanned systems, primarily for the Defense Department. What makes Ingalls different over the past two years is efforts to carve itself out a piece of the pie in a crowded unmanned systems market. The impetus, Duane Fotheringham, president of the company’s unmanned systems group, told Defense News, is simple: The Navy’s focus is changing and HII’s going to follow. The Navy’s intent, through its Distributed Maritime Operations agenda, is to have unmanned as a significant part of its future fleet, he said. As the Navy pushes its strategy, some defense firms may find competition in a vast market of smaller businesses that have spent time and resources to perfect technologies the Navy needs; and smaller shipyards for contracts. In recent years, HII has made acquisitions and investments, as well as partnerships, outside of its key shipyards in Virginia and Pascagoula, Miss. Among HII acquisitions is Hydroid, a small autonomous maritime vehicle design firm; the autonomy business unit of Spatial Integrated Systems that is subcontracting for Louisiana-based Metal Shark on the Marines’ Long-Range Unmanned Surface Vehicle. These moves reach beyond capital warship production into unmanned markets. Bringing smaller, and often non-traditional, contractors into the base has been a key focus for DoD. Not long after buying Hydroid, HII made an equity investment into Sea Machines of Boston, a firm experienced with unmanned maritime technology, but largely focused on the commercial sector. HII’s endeavors into unmanned are not just a bet against its industrial competition, but that the Navy can persuade Congress to fund its unmanned efforts at a pace and scale the Navy needs for future war-fighting. (Source: Breaking Defense 08/16/21) HII Is Making Its Play For Unmanned Systems - Breaking Defense Breaking Defense - Defense