Class Aircraft News

HII has announced that shipbuilders at its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division have successfully installed the first valve manifold assembly created by 3D Printing (additive manufacturing) on a new construction aircraft carrier.The valve manifold assembly, a specialized assembly that allows distribution of a single source of fluid to multiple points on the ship, is installed in a pump room on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80). The assembly, which is approximately 5 feet long and 1…

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrived at the southern city of Busan in South Korea on Sunday as a show of force, South Korea's navy said.The visit was part of the "ironclad" commitment of the United States to extended deterrence and to show readiness by the military alliance between Seoul and Washington against North Korea, according to the navy.The nuclear-powered vessel belonging to Carrier Strike Group 1 was joined by the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the USS Sterett guided-missile destroyer…

[The following are exerpts and paraphrasing from testimony given by Matthew O. Paxton, President of the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), to Congress on the morning of February 26, 2025.]While maritime strength and shipbuilding historically have been a cornerstone of global power, shifting times and geopolitical pressures impact readiness and output. Today, as the world’s geopolitical landscape shifts, so too does the reality of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industry. In testimony before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, Matthew O.

It is no secret that today's focus of the U.S. Navy is preparing for the possibility of conflict in the Pacific by 2027, and a recent maritime exercise with the U.S. and the Philippines in the South China Sea - the fifth such publicized exercise - is a move that will likely irk China.The Philippine military said in a statement it held a "maritime cooperative activity" with the U.S. on Friday and Saturday, its first for the year and fifth overall since launching the joint activities in 2023.Security engagements between the two allies have soared under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management (Arcline), has received POs from Austal USA to provide critical equipment for the U.S. Navy’s next-generation TAGOS-25 program.Through Fairbanks Morse Defense businesses American Fan, Federal Equipment Company (FEC), Maxim Watermakers, and Welin Lambie, the defense supplier will deliver and install fundamental systems for TAGOS-25’s oceanic surveillance ships.The TAGOS-25 ocean surveillance ships are designed to support U.S.

Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) was recognized for its more than 37 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on September 27.During the ceremony guest speaker Rear Adm. Christopher Moe (USN, Ret.) spoke about Antietam’s history and accomplishments, wishing this final crew fair winds and following seas as they bid farewell to their ship.Moe served as Antietam’s commanding officer from 1997 to 1999. “I was there June 6, 1987, when USS Antietam was commissioned in Baltimore, Maryland.

Canada's largest shipbuilder, Davie, on Monday announced it will establish a shipbuilding presence in the United States.The Quebec-headquartered company's investment in a U.S. shipyard remains subject to final site and partner selection, Davie said in a statement.The move coincides with actions announced by the U.S. government to boost the competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industries, and aligns with the ICE Pact, a collaboration between the U.S., Canada and Finland announced on July 11 to enhance the production of much-needed polar icebreakers."The cat is out the bag.

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division has completed the dry dock portion of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).Following the recent flooding of more than 100 million gallons of water into the dry dock, USS John C. Stennis was moved to an outfitting berth at the shipyard, where the remainder of the RCOH work and testing will be completed.During the dry dock phase of the RCOH, USS John C. Stennis received significant upgrades and began an extensive overhaul process, both inside and outside the ship.

Virginia-class submarines, an aircraft carrier and frigates being built for the U.S. Navy are now years behind schedule because of skilled labor shortages, design issues, and supply chain challenges stemming from the pandemic, the Navy said on Tuesday.U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in January ordered a comprehensive review to examine national and local causes of the challenges to shipbuilding with Tuesday's results showing that five classes of ships being built for the U.S.

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management (Arcline), has acquired AMMCON Corp., a Jacksonville- based fittings and assembled components manufacturer. The defense contractor’s acquisition continues its expansion and commitment to providing critical components to the U.S. Navy and other marine defense customers.“Fairbanks Morse Defense is working to build fully integrated products and services that will meet every need of maritime defense…

HII announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division (NNS) recently began topside testing of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).EMALS, first integrated into USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), replaces the existing steam catapults currently in use on the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.Following successful “no-load” testing on catapults one and two, known as the ‘bow cats,’ the NNS team, alongside the John F. Kennedy crew, has now started “dead-load” testing.

Last week, on January 31, the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) returned pier side after successfully completing acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico for the U.S. Navy, Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced.During acceptance trials, comprehensive testing is conducted on the ship’s major systems and equipment in order to demonstrate their successful operation and mission readiness. The U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey participates throughout the trials to validate…

Chinese state media unveiled new images of China's most advanced aircraft carrier yet, including next generation launch tracks that can catapult a wider range of aircraft from its deck.First shown to the public in June 2022, the Fujian was entirely designed and built domestically.Yet to conduct its first sea trials, the aircraft carrier is larger and technologically more advanced than the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, and the Liaoning, which China bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted domestically.On state television late on Tuesday…

HII announced its Newport News Shipbuilding division has begun production at an additional campus in Norfolk, Va. to support the shipyard’s continued progress toward more effective and efficient shipbuilding.The Newport News Shipbuilding Norfolk Campus is located on land leased from Fairlead in the Lambert’s Point area, at a development known as Fairwinds Landing. NNS shipbuilders have worked at the site for several months constructing steel panels that will eventually make up units of Gerald R.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility employees and ship’s force worked together to repair the anchor windlass on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in about a third of the time it took previously.The anchor windlass is comprised of motors, gears and other parts responsible for the controlled lowering and raising of the chain and anchor, which can weigh up to 200,000 pounds on a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. It's a difficult job that requires much planning and complicated execution.According to Shawn Carragher and Zac Malone…

HII announced Monday that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy to support maintenance of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in San Diego. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ), cost-plus incentive and award contract has a potential value of $528.4 million over five years, if all options are exercised.The contract covers maintenance, repair and modernization efforts for Nimitz- and Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers home-ported in and visiting the San Diego area.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA has been awarded a $71,706,745 fixed-price incentive contract option from the U.S. Navy for the construction of an additional Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 15).With the award, the company is now under contract for five T-ATS, having received awards for T-ATS 13 and 14 in July 2022 and T-ATS 11 and 12 in October 2021.Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal USA's Australian parent company Austal, said the contract award again highlights Austal USA’s growing steel shipbuilding capability…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management (Arcline), has been awarded a purchase order by Newport News Shipbuilding to supply four davits through Welin Lambie for the Ford Class aircraft carriers CVN 80 and CVN 81 (two davits per vessel). The award follows the supply of davits for CVN 78, which just entered service, and CVN 79, which is currently under construction. “This contract reinforces FMD’s position as a critical supplier to its core naval defense customers,” said Jay McFadyen, FMD’s Chief Commercial Officer.

One of Hollywood's biggest stars recently paid a visit to U.S. Navy sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).Top Gun: Maverick producer and star Tom Cruise was joined by writer and producer Christopher McQuarrie, and editor Eddie Hamilton, along with Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, for the stop. The team led a Top Gun: Maverick viewing in the ship’s hangar bay and took time to visit with sailors aboard the ship, which has been deployed since departing Naval Station Norfolk in August 2022.“I know our sailors will never forget that night in the hangar bay…

Brazil sank a decommissioned aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean off its northeast coast, the Brazilian Navy said, despite warnings from environmentalists that the rusting 1960s French-built ship would pollute the sea and the marine food chain.The 32,000-tonne carrier had been floating offshore for three months since Turkey refused it entry to be scrapped there because it was an environmental hazard and the ship was towed back to Brazil.The carrier was scuttled in a "planned and controlled sinking" late on Friday…

A decommissioned 32,000-ton 1960's aircraft carrier has been floating off Brazil's shore for three months since Turkey refused it entry to be scrapped there because the rusting ship is an environmental hazard.The Brazilian Navy's Sao Paulo carrier had been towed by tugs to Europe but did not get past the Gibraltar straits, and was returned across the Atlantic.The Navy has acknowledged the ship is a risk to the environment and could sink, so it has not been allowed into Brazilian…

Austal USA welcomed U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday at the company’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard. The CNO toured the shipyard’s facility and discussed the company’s growing diversity of design and shipbuilding contracts. During his tour, the CNO witnessed the production of both steel and aluminum ships in the company’s 867,000-sq. ft. module manufacturing facility, including operations supporting the submarine industrial base.Austal USA leadership briefed the CNO on the company’s involvement in several autonomous surface vessel programs…

Britain has selected a Harland & Wolff-led consortium to build three Royal Navy support ships under a 1.6 billion pound ($1.9 billion) contract that will create 1,200 jobs in UK shipyards, including in Belfast where final assembly will take place.The consortium, which comprises ship designer BMT, Harland & Wolff and Navantia UK, was appointed preferred bidder to deliver the three support vessels that will provide munitions, stores and provisions to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates, the government said on Wednesday.The consortium's proposal included a 77 mi