Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has deepened its partnership with the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering by joining the school’s Corporate Partners Program through its Mission Technologies division. This strategic collaboration aims to bolster joint research, foster technology development, and create new pathways for intellectual property licensing and innovation in defence and autonomous systems.
Garry Schwartz, Chief Operating Officer of Mission Technologies, was appointed earlier this year to the industry advisory board of the university’s Autonomous Technologies Research Innovation and eXploration (MATRIX) Lab. He emphasised the significance of this expanded partnership, stating, “This collaboration underscores HII’s commitment to bridging industry and academia to accelerate innovation in defense and national security. This reflects our ongoing investment in innovation leadership and dedication to advancing defense technology through strategic partnerships.”
The MATRIX Lab, located in southern Maryland, is a leading research and education facility dedicated to autonomy and uncrewed systems. It collaborates closely with the U.S. Department of Defense, particularly the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, and serves as a hub for advanced experimentation and workforce development in emerging autonomous technologies.
HII’s involvement in the Corporate Partners Program will support various initiatives, including student recruitment and internships, scholarships, awards, competitions, and campus events. The program is designed to strengthen the connections between industry and academic research while expanding opportunities for students and faculty.
As part of this sponsorship, Mission Technologies will establish the HII Lecture Series. This series will bring together leaders from government, industry, and academia to discuss emerging technologies, mission challenges, and opportunities for collaboration.
Dr. Reza Ghodssi, the Clark School’s Executive Director of Research and Innovation, highlighted the potential of this partnership: “This collaboration will help combine the university’s research capability with HII’s industry perspective. We aim to address ‘grand challenges’ in autonomy and defence innovation for both Maryland and the broader national security community.”
This partnership exemplifies a growing trend in the defence sector, where collaboration between industry and academia is seen as crucial for driving innovation and addressing complex national security challenges. By leveraging the strengths of both HII and the University of Maryland, this initiative is poised to make significant contributions to the advancement of autonomous systems and defence technologies.