Newport News Shipbuilding News

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has announced this week the appointment of Herman Shelanski as vice president of business development at its Newport News Shipbuilding division.Shelanski has more than 38 years of experience with the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of vice admiral before he retired earlier this year. Shelanski most recently served as the Navy’s inspector general.In his new role, Shelanski will report to Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport Shipbuilding.Shelanski served as director of the Navy’s Environmental Readiness Division…

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $197 million modification to a previously awarded contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine.The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major components and commodity material and to begin advance construction on Columbia (SSBN 826). Newport News is a major subcontractor for the construction of the new class of ballistic-missile submarines…

U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Tuesday that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $197 million modification to a previously awarded contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine.The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major components and commodity material and to begin advance construction on Columbia (SSBN 826). Newport News is a major subcontractor for the construction of the new class of ballistic-missile submarines, which are being designed…

One-on-one with Suzanne Beckstoffer, an accomplished engineering leader and business woman, the first woman president in SNAME’s 125 year history.As the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2018, it will celebrate another historical milestone at the start of 2019 when Suzanne M. Beckstoffer takes the helm of SNAME as president, the first woman to hold this position in the association’s history. We met recently with Beckstoffer to discuss her distinguished shipbuilding career…

Huntington Ingalls Industries  christened the Virginia-class submarine Delaware (SSN 791) this morning at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.Jill Biden, the former Second Lady of the United States and the ship’s sponsor, smashed a bottle of sparkling wine against the hull, celebrating the latest milestone of the newest U.S. Navy vessel prior to its launch.“I know it is a tremendous privilege to be selected as a pre-commission crew member, and the sailors standing with us today are the very best the Navy has to offer,” Biden said.

A U.S. shipbuilder’s piloting of new technologies is redefining the future of the naval engineering and shipbuilding industries.Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, has led the adoption of additive manufacturing of metal components for nuclear-powered warships as part of HII’s digital transformation.This technological development will result in the first certified 3-D-printed metal part—a prototype piping assembly—being installed on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) early next year.

Huntington Ingalls Industries  announced  the promotion of Xavier Beale to vice president of trades at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. He will succeed Ray Bagley, a master shipbuilder who retired in July after more than 43 years of service.In this role, Beale, who most recently served as director of human resources operations, will be responsible for production trades, trades management, trades administration and The Apprentice School. He will report directly to Matt Needy…

Construction of the U.S. Navy’s second Gerald Ford class aircraft carrier has reached its midway point following the installation of one of the ship’s largest units.Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding said it has installed one of the heaviest of the planned steel structures, known as superlifts, that will be joined together to make up nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). The superlift of the aft section between the hangar bay and flight deck weighs approximately 905 metric tons…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced leadership changes to the submarine construction programs at its Newport News Shipbuilding division.Jason Ward has been promoted to vice president of Columbia-class submarine construction. Dave Bolcar, who served as vice president of all submarine construction, encompassing both the Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine programs, has assumed the role of vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction.Both leaders will report to Ken Mahler…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) was awarded an advance planning contract for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).The contract, which is initially funded for one year and has a base value of $187.5 million, includes engineering, design, material procurement and fabrication, documentation, resource forecasting, and pre-overhaul inspections. Future modifications could extend the period of performance to 30 months and increase the contract value if additional options are exercised.

The U.S. Navy announced today that three of its Nimitz-class aircraft carriers will conduct homeport shifts.USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), currently located in Norfolk, Va., will rejoin the Pacific Fleet, making San Diego its homeport. Abraham Lincoln, commissioned in 1989, previously served in the Pacific Fleet from 1990-2011 before moving to Norfolk for midlife refueling.The other two carrier homeport shifts are tied to carrier maintenance. USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), currently homeported in Bremerton…

The U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier has returned to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division for 12 months of modifications, upgrades, system improvements and repairs.On Sunday USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) was moved to the shipyard’s Pier 3, where it will undergo a maintenance period typical of newly delivered warships.The $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford, commissioned July 22, 2017, is the first ship in the nation’s newest class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced today that Bryan Caccavale has been promoted to vice president of strategic sourcing for the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. He assumed his new role this week and reports to the shipyard’s president, Jennifer Boykin. Caccavale joined Newport News in 2002 and has held leadership positions in contracts and pricing and business management. He also served as director of business management for aircraft carrier construction, overhaul and inactivation, where he supported the CVN 80 and 81 multi-ship procurement strategy.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a not-to-exceed $200,446,196 undefinitized fixed-price, incentive firm target modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-16-C-2116) for the purchase of additional long lead time material in support of USS Enterprise (CVN 80). Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, is expected to be completed by February 2027. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $200,446,196 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding division is partnering with the Commonwealth of Virginia in support of its major hiring initiative. Gov. Ralph Northam announced that various state agencies and regional community colleges will work with Newport News to augment ongoing efforts to hire as many as 7,000 new shipbuilders over the next five years. "Newport News Shipbuilding's success is important not just for Hampton Roads, but for the entire commonwealth," Northam said.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has begun scheduled overhaul work on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Boise (SSN 764).The Los Angeles-class submarine arrived at Newport News on Monday and will undergo planned maintenance and repair activities pierside before it will be moved to a dry dock in January 2019. The extended engineering overhaul, which includes system upgrades, will take 25 months and is expected to be completed in 2021.“Submarine…

Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully completed the initial sea trials on the newest Virginia-class submarine, Indiana (SSN 789). The initial round of sea trials, known as alpha trials, provides an opportunity to test all systems and components. It includes submerging for the first time and high-speed maneuvers while on the surface and submerged. “Sea trials is a significant milestone and the first major test of submarine’s capabilities at sea,” said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’  Newport News Shipbuilding division has authenticated the keel of the 21st Virginia-class submarine, Montana (SSN 794). “This is an important day for us,” said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. In keeping with a U.S. Navy tradition, former Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, the ship’s sponsor, chalked her initials onto a steel plate. Mariah Gladstone, a member of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, performed a Native American blessing.

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced it has partnered with a company specializing in 3D printing technologies in a move that aims to transform naval shipbuilding in the U.S.Huntington Ingalls’ Newport News Shipbuilding division will work with 3D Systems to develop additive manufacturing technologies expected to accelerate the adoption of metal 3D printing for building components of U.S. warships.The joint effort, which comes amid a significant technological transformation underway at Newport News…

The next nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy is now three-quarters structurally complete following the recent installation of the forward area of the ship’s main deck, shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today.John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers, has been taking shape at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division since the ship’s keel was laid in August 2015. The ship is being built using modular construction…

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced today that Jon Arena has been named vice president and chief counsel of HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. He will succeed Jim Gildea, who retired on April 1. Arena will be a key member of the law department’s leadership team, reporting directly to Kellye Walker, executive vice president and chief legal officer, and indirectly to Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin. In this role, he will be responsible for providing…

The U.S. Navy could build its strength to 355 ships over a decade earlier than previously thought due to an increased shipbuilding budget and tempo as well as extending the service for some ships in the current fleet, a Pentagon official told a Congressional panel on Thursday. The goal of a larger Navy, one of President Donald Trump's signature issues from the campaign trail, could be achieved in the 2030s instead of the 2050s, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, James Geurts told the U.S.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest shipbuilder for the U.S. government, said new tariffs on steel and aluminum should not impact the price of its own shipbuilding in the near-term, but does not know if tariffs will raise prices for its suppliers. Huntington's Newport News Shipbuilding yard in Virginia has a multi-year financial agreement that guarantees steady pricing for its steel, known as a hedge, Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, told reporters on Tuesday at the Sea Air Space Exposition in National Harbor, Maryland.