Distributive Systems News

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) was awarded a $224 million modification to an existing contract for advanced planning of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). The work will be performed at the company's Newport News Shipbuilding division. The contract funds continued planning work for the RCOH as well as the procurement of long-lead materials, including items such as pumps, breakers, valves and steel to support fabrication of structural units.

The maritime industry has an image problem. Perceived to be an aging industry, many players in the maritime niche deal daily with the very real problem of replenishing its employment ranks, from desk jobs designing and operating vessels, to those at sea and in the construction yards. While the problem is multi-faceted and without a clear solution, this article is not about problems. It's about hope and the future. Traditional industries such as maritime are often lost to the youth, as higher-profile, more glamourous opportunities are found in computing and entertainment, for example. Simply put, many bright minds are lost before the battle has begun.

at its Ship Systems sector's Gulfport Operations in Gulfport, Miss. The modernization project is expected to create the first large-scale advanced composite manufacturing facility to produce U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships. The modernization will dedicate $30 million to increasing capacity for composite construction, $19 million for ship construction and outfitting improvements, $8 million for additional support facilities, and $7 million to upgrade distributive systems. Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, principal speaker at the ceremony, told more than 200 guests and shipbuilders in attendance about the partnership between Northrop Grumman and the state and how this expansion project will economically benefit all parties involved.