US and South Korea conclude the contract to strengthen their navy against China

US and South Korea conclude the contract to strengthen their navy against China

Seoul, South Korea - the largest military shipper in the United States has signed an agreement with a South Korean company that experts, according to experts, could be a significant step to support the US Navy in building new warships. This initiative is important to remain competitive in the race with China in terms of fleet size.

partnership between HII and Hyundai Heavy Industries

The Virginia -based company HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) and the South Korean company Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday as part of a defense exhibition in Maryland.

commitment to national security

"Today's agreement reflects our commitment to examine all opportunities to expand the US shipbuilding capacities to support national security," said Brian Blanchette, Executive Vice President of HII, at a ceremony at the Sea Air Space 2025 exhibition.

"Due to the cooperation with our shipbuilding partners and the exchange of proven practices, we believe that this Mou has the potential to accelerate the delivery of high -quality ships."

The importance of Aegis destructions

In a explanation by Hyundai Heavy Industries, it was emphasized that both HII and the South Korean shipyard build Aegis destroyers, which form the backbone of the surface fleets of the USA and South Korea. Aegis ships offer protection against threats from rockets, including powerful ballistic rockets from the Arsenal of Chinese and North Korean forces.

"This mou is particularly important because it marks the first collaboration between two leading shipbuilding companies from Korea and the USA, both of which are able to build the most advanced Aegis ships in the world" is emphasized in the explanation.

The challenges of American shipbuilding capacity

Analysts have long been demanding that the United States, together with allies such as South Korea and Japan, take steps to cooperate in shipbuilding, since Chinese shipyards produce warships at a rapid pace and the largest navy in the world with this fleet is available.

Washington has failed in capacity planning, which is largely due to the limited capacities in the US and a lack of workers.

strategic advantages for the US Navy

"This agreement is a strong beginning to alleviate the effects of American deficit in shipbuilding capacity," said Carl Schuster, an analyst based in Hawaii and former US Naval Captain. Schuster emphasized that changes to the US laws would be necessary in order to enable the South Korean shipyard the complete construction of destroyers for the US Navy, but could recover the signed agreement.

cooperation to improve operational readiness

The collaboration of the Aegis-Zerstörer-Bauer raises the Allianz to a higher level. "We would like to improve the shipbuilding capacities and capabilities of both nations and also contribute to strengthening bilateral security cooperation," said Joo Wonho, Managing Director for Naval and Special shipbuilding at Hyundai Heavy.

training of new workers

Schuster sees another great advantage from the deal. "Hyundai and Huntington can use the agreement to train new American workers for the shipyards of HII. A lack of workers is the main problem that limits shipbuilding capacity in the USA," he said.

potential for the construction of the USS destroyers in South Korea

If it is possible to implement the construction of warships for the US Navy in South Korea, the impact could still be significant. Woo-Man Jeong, Managing Director of Hyundai Heavy specialized, told the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo that his company was able to build five or more Aegis destroyers per year, while US throwing an average of two or less destroyers.

investments in the US shipbuilding industry

The HII Hyundai Agreement is followed by a significant investment in US shipbuilding last year by Hanwha Ocean, which the Philly Shipyard acquired, which mainly builds civil ships, but also carries out maintenance and repair work on governmentships.

conclusion: strengthening bilateral security

BECE NEMETH, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, emphasized after the deal with the Philly Shipyard that shipbuilding cooperation between the USA and South Korea benefits the security of both countries. "In the short term, the US Navy will benefit from increased availability of ships, and this could accelerate the growth of its fleet in the medium term. This can help Washington maintain its global maritime dominance," wrote Nemeth.

"A strong US navy is also crucial for South Korea's national security, as it helps to deter North Korean aggression," added Nemeth.

reports of CNN, Gawon Bae.