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HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Signs MOU with Fairbanks Morse Defense to Strengthen Entry into U.S. Naval Defense Market
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Signs MOU with Fairbanks Morse Defense to Strengthen Entry into U.S. Naval Defense Market
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) is partnering with a key U.S. naval defense equipment supplier to expand its presence in the American defense shipbuilding market.
On Tuesday, September 8 (local time), HD HHI announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Supply Chain and Export Cooperation in the Naval Sector” with Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a major U.S. defense equipment company.
The signing ceremony took place at the FMD booth during Sea Air Space 2025 (SAS 2025) in Washington, D.C., with Joo Won-ho, Head of HD HHI’s Special & Naval Ship Business Unit, and George Whittier, CEO of FMD, as official signatories.
This agreement follows closely after HD HHI signed an MOU on September 7 with Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, to collaborate on productivity enhancement and advanced shipbuilding technologies. Together, the deals are expected to strengthen HD HHI’s participation in the U.S. naval defense supply chain.
FMD has served as a core partner of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Military Sealift Command for over 100 years, providing engines, generators, and shipboard equipment. The company holds a comprehensive portfolio of essential components, advanced marine technologies, and solutions vital to building and maintaining the U.S. naval fleet.
Under the new MOU, the two companies will explore cooperation in component sales, distribution, and manufacturing to strengthen global maritime defense capabilities. The partnership will also include supply chain participation, export collaboration, and information exchange in naval shipbuilding between the two countries.
In particular, HD HHI plans to leverage FMD as a supplier of outfitting equipment for U.S. shipyards, thereby reinforcing its foothold in the U.S. defense market while expanding global supply chains centered on the U.S. and allied nations. This initiative is also expected to drive growth in Korea’s small and medium-sized shipbuilding equipment sector.
FMD, meanwhile, will gain new opportunities to supply advanced equipment to the Republic of Korea Navy and strengthen its support for the U.S. Navy by expanding its portfolio with parts and technological solutions sourced from HD HHI.
Joo Won-ho, Head of HD HHI’s Special & Naval Ship Business Unit, stated:
“We are very pleased to establish a business partnership with FMD, which has maintained a long-standing cooperative relationship with the U.S. Navy. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has built high-quality combat ships for the Republic of Korea Navy and allied navies for more than 50 years. By combining the technological expertise of both companies, we expect to generate outstanding synergy.”
George Whittier, CEO of FMD, added:
“The United States aims to reassert its position as a global shipbuilding leader by fostering cooperation between leading global firms and American defense companies. This MOU provides a solid foundation to explore a wide range of collaborative opportunities that will drive mutual growth for both countries’ manufacturing and naval defense industries.”
