The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) has selected 18 new panel projects totaling more than $3.38 million in government funding as part of its ongoing mission to reduce costs and expand capabilities across U.S. shipbuilding and repair yards.
The awards, announced Nov. 10 by the program’s Executive Control Board, were drawn from proposals submitted in response to the May 2025 panel project solicitation. Each selected project will run for approximately 12 months, with teams of shipbuilders, research institutions, and private-sector partners tackling targeted technology, process, and workforce challenges within the industry.
Below are the 18 projects chosen for award, along with their lead organizations and objectives:
Autonomous Equipment in a Shipyard Environment
Prime: Pratt & Miller Engineering & Fabrication
Partners: Oshkosh Corporation, JLG, Oshkosh Defense, Austal USA, HII – Newport News Shipbuilding, HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding
Objective: Virtually demonstrate an integrated boom lift system capable of maintaining a multipurpose end effector at a set distance from a ship hull while moving at a constant speed.
Improving Shock M&S Requirements and Criteria
Prime: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding
Partners: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding, NAVSEA 05P1, NSWC-CD Code 661
Objective: Improve specifications and guidance for system shock qualification by analysis via transient shock analysis (TSA).
Development and Implementation of an AI Island within a Shipyard Network
Prime: General Dynamics NASSCO
Partners: GD – Electric Boat, GD – Bath Iron Works, Avathon
Objective: Implement an internal AI “island” scalable across departments or shipyard sites regardless of infrastructure maturity.
Comparison of Laser Ablation to SSPC-SP Surface Preparation of Bare Steel
Prime: Elzly Technology
Partners: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding
Objective: Evaluate shipyard laser ablation availability and compare performance with hand, power, and abrasive blasting surface preparation.
EASE – Exoskeleton Assistance for Shipyard Workforce Enhancement
Prime: Austal USA
Partners: Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Austal USA Advanced Technologies, NSWCCD
Objective: Develop cost-effective exoskeleton solutions to reduce workforce fatigue and injuries in shipyard operations.
1K Oxsol (PCBTF) Free MIL-PRF-24635F Type V Comp 1 Coatings in OE Shipyards
Prime: Elzly Technology
Partners: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding, HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding, BAE Jacksonville, NCP Coatings
Objective: Compare 1K and 2K polysiloxane coatings focusing on corrosion protection, adhesion, flexibility, UV resistance, and material waste reduction.
Improved fasteners for false-deck panels
Prime: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding
Partners: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding, NAVSEA 05P2, NSWC-CD
Objective: Develop alternative fastening methods for MIL-PRF-32664 composite and Nomex core false-deck panels aboard Navy vessels.
Improving impact properties of resistance flash butt welding
Prime: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding
Partners: Colorado School of Mines, Automation International, NAVSEA 05
Objective: Optimize heating and forging temperatures for HSLA-65 flat bar welds to meet NAVSEA impact requirements.
Multiphysics-driven arc-fault detection for shipboard electrical systems
Prime: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Partners: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding, NAVSEA 05Z33
Objective: Develop next-generation arc-fault detection using multiphysics modeling, optical/acoustic/current sensing, and machine learning to reduce false alarms and detection time.
Evaluate nord-lock wedge washers for electrical applications on U.S. Navy ships
Prime: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding
Partners: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding, NAVSEA
Objective: Assess Nord-Lock wedge washers for shipboard electrical applications and validate performance under vibration conditions.
Use of nanotechnology-based fire boundaries on U.S. Navy ships
Prime: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding
Partners: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding
Objective: Research and benchmark spray-applied nanotech coatings to replace traditional fire-zone insulation, improving cost and labor efficiency.
Defect characterization of U.S. Navy ship pipe elbows with active UMI technology
Prime: Antech Systems Inc.
Partners: Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Objective: Investigate feasibility of guided-wave ultrasound for detecting corrosion and wall thinning under coatings in ship piping systems.
Flexible digital detector array radiographic testing of weld joints
Prime: The Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory
Partners: GD – Bath Iron Works, Carestream
Objective: Demonstrate accelerated non-film radiographic testing methods for ship construction and repair welds.
Accelerated workforce readiness via dynamic workforce modeling
Prime: Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
Partners: BAE Systems, GD – Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, NAVSEA 05P2
Objective: Develop AI-enabled workforce models to identify skill gaps and guide training strategies for corrosion-related jobs.
Shore power connector testing prototype system
Prime: D’Angelo Technologies
Partners: HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding, NAVSEA 05Z33, NAVFAC Atlantic, Penn State Applied Research Laboratory
Objective: Improve the safety and reliability of ship-to-shore power connections through prototype testing systems.
Smart supports – AI-enhanced Navy pipe hanger standardization
Prime: Hawk Technologies
Partners: SSI USA, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Austal USA
Objective: Reduce cost and design time for non-standard pipe supports through AI-assisted qualification and standardization.
Modular overhead grid system applicability assessment
Prime: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding
Partners: HILTI North America
Objective: Assess HILTI MT Overhead Grid components to reduce onboard manual welding using mechanical attachment connections.
Robotic arc welding digital transformation roadmap
Prime: EWI
Partners: HII – Newport News Shipbuilding, NSWCCD
Objective: Create an implementation roadmap for robotic arc-welding digitization and AI/ML integration to improve cost and schedule performance.
The NSRP said the 18 projects represent another step in the Program’s effort to foster collaboration among government, industry, and academia to advance shipyard modernization and strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
