BigBear.ai to Support Austal USA’s Next-Generation Submarine Construction with Advanced AI and Digital Twin Technology
BigBear.ai (NYSE: BBAI), a trusted provider of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered decision intelligence solutions for defense, national security, and complex industrial operations, today announced a strategic collaboration with Austal USA, one of the nation’s leading shipbuilders and a key supplier of modules for U.S. Navy submarines. Through this partnership, BigBear.ai will deploy its proprietary AI/ML-powered manufacturing and production platform, Shipyard AI®, to optimize Austal USA’s shipbuilding operations at its headquarters in Mobile, Alabama.
The collaboration is part of a broader initiative by Austal USA to modernize its operations and expand submarine production capacity in support of national defense priorities. By integrating BigBear.ai’s advanced software into its production ecosystem, Austal USA aims to improve efficiency, reduce production bottlenecks, and accelerate delivery timelines all while minimizing costs to the federal government.
“We are honored to support Austal USA in its mission to modernize and scale naval submarine production in the United States, ultimately serving important national defense efforts,” said Kevin McAleenan, Chief Executive Officer of BigBear.ai. “Our Shipyard AI® platform was developed by, and for, shipyard planners and builders to provide heightened efficiency and efficacy at each stage of the shipbuilding lifecycle, minimizing costly delays in production and ultimately delivering vessels to their mission operators more quickly.”
A Strategic Modernization Initiative
The U.S. Department of Defense has identified submarine production as a critical pillar of its naval deterrence strategy, particularly in an era of rising geopolitical tensions and near-peer competition. To meet evolving defense requirements, shipbuilders must embrace new technologies that streamline workflows, improve resource management, and enhance the resilience of the industrial base.
Austal USA’s modernization program reflects this broader strategic vision. Located on a sprawling campus in Mobile, Alabama, Austal has invested heavily in advanced manufacturing technologies and digital infrastructure. The adoption of BigBear.ai’s Shipyard AI® platform is a cornerstone of this transformation.
Shipyard AI® is an intelligent decision support tool designed specifically for heavy manufacturing environments like shipyards, where projects are vast in scale, resources are limited, and timelines are tight. The platform integrates artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital twin technology to provide real-time insights into capacity planning, production scheduling, and resource utilization.
By incorporating Shipyard AI®, Austal USA will be able to simulate various production scenarios, optimize shipyard layout, and dynamically allocate resources across concurrent projects. This enables greater operational flexibility and ensures that critical milestones can be met—even in the face of supply chain disruptions or workforce shortages.
Addressing Industry-Wide Challenges
Shipbuilding is an inherently complex and resource-intensive process. From design and planning to fabrication, assembly, and delivery, each stage requires meticulous coordination and the efficient use of personnel, equipment, and facilities. However, the industry continues to grapple with several challenges, including:
- Resource and capacity constraints: As shipyards take on multiple projects simultaneously, efficient allocation of dry docks, machinery, and skilled labor becomes increasingly difficult.
- Labor shortages: The shipbuilding workforce has faced attrition over the years, and recruiting and training new talent remains a significant hurdle.
- Budget and schedule pressures: Federal contracts come with stringent performance requirements. Delays or budget overruns can result in financial penalties or damage to reputation.
BigBear.ai’s Shipyard AI® was engineered with these realities in mind. The platform’s ability to model the shipyard as a dynamic system means it can account for real-world constraints—such as limited space, overlapping project schedules, and labor availability—and provide actionable recommendations to mitigate delays.
For Austal USA, this means improved visibility into upcoming capacity issues, earlier identification of potential production slowdowns, and the ability to test and implement solutions proactively. The result is a more agile shipbuilding operation that can adapt to change and deliver high-quality vessels on time and within budget.
Supporting U.S. Naval Superiority
Austal USA plays a vital role in the U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding programs, supplying modules and components for a variety of surface and subsurface platforms. With global threats becoming more sophisticated, ensuring that the Navy maintains a qualitative and quantitative edge is essential.
BigBear.ai’s contribution to this effort extends beyond software—it provides a foundation for long-term resilience and strategic advantage. By enabling Austal USA to scale production while preserving quality and cost control, Shipyard AI® helps strengthen the nation’s industrial base and reinforces the Navy’s ability to project power globally.
“Shipbuilders today are under immense pressure to deliver advanced vessels faster, more efficiently, and without compromising on quality,” added McAleenan. “With Shipyard AI®, we’re helping our customers rise to that challenge using data-driven insights and intelligent automation.”
A Platform Purpose-Built for the Shipbuilding Sector
Shipyard AI® is not a repurposed solution adapted from other industries—it was purpose-built for the shipbuilding domain. Developed by experts with decades of combined experience in naval architecture, marine engineering, and operations research, the platform is tailored to the unique workflows and requirements of maritime manufacturing.
Key features of the platform include:
- Digital Twin Modeling: Virtually replicate the shipyard environment to test production changes, simulate new layouts, and evaluate “what-if” scenarios.
- AI-Powered Capacity Planning: Forecast future workload and resource utilization, enabling better project sequencing and material procurement planning.
- Integrated Scheduling Tools: Synchronize tasks across multiple projects, ensuring that interdependencies are respected and critical path items are prioritized.
- Data-Driven Insights: Leverage machine learning to uncover patterns in historical performance data and guide continuous improvement efforts.
These capabilities translate into measurable improvements in production outcomes, including higher throughput, reduced downtime, and greater transparency in program execution.
Driving Long-Term Innovation
The partnership between BigBear.ai and Austal USA reflects a shared commitment to innovation and operational excellence in defense manufacturing. As the defense sector continues to adopt emerging technologies such as AI, digital twins, and autonomous systems, this collaboration sets a precedent for how shipyards can embrace transformation at scale.
Looking ahead, BigBear.ai aims to continue expanding the application of Shipyard AI® across additional shipbuilding programs and defense-industrial partnerships, helping to build a smarter, more resilient supply chain for the United States.
In a world where strategic advantage is increasingly shaped by technological edge, the fusion of AI and shipbuilding is not just a promising developmentit is a necessity.