Photo caption: Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) conducts flight operations while the ship transits the Tsushima Strait, Sept. 18, 2024. This Ingalls-built ship is a part of USINDOPACOM forces, which perform operations in and around critical sea passages and trade thoroughfares to deter threats that create regional instability and impinge on the free flow of goods, people, and ideas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James Finney)
Sept. 20, 2024
HII’s Weekly News Digest is compiled every Friday by the Corporate Communications team to summarize and highlight news stories of significance to the company.
Del Toro Backs Shipyard Accountability Initiative: Politico reported on Thursday that HII CEO Chris Kastner praised Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro’s leadership in proposing the Shipyard Accountability and Workforce Support initiative, calling it a “genius” solution to assist industry in its efforts to accelerate submarine construction. Kastner emphasized how the proposal addresses critical workforce shortages, ensuring submarines are built on time without exceeding the Navy’s planned budget. Del Toro’s plan aims to tackle growing labor and material costs impacting shipbuilders. The SAWS framework would allow industry to tap into and pull forward funding designated for submarine programs over the course of a yearslong contract, creating a fund that companies could use to pay for current workforce needs and capital investments. Roll Call reported on Thursday that Del Toro was on Capitol Hill to brief the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee on the plan. “All solutions are on the table” when it comes to increasing U.S. shipbuilding capacity, committee member Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, said. “And I want to see every opportunity taken to produce more ships on time, on budget, and that’s — we’re running into all those right now.”
US Navy Commission NNS-Built New Jersey (SSN 796): CBS News reported on Monday that the U.S. Navy commissioned its first coed submarine on Saturday, in a ceremonial event that the vessel’s commander called “a truly historic moment.” USS New Jersey (SSN 796) is “the fastest, most advanced, fully integrated fast-attack to date,” said Cmdr. Steve Halle, the commanding officer, of the Virginia-class submarine built at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. NBC News reported on Saturday that the boat is the first built for both men and women. Modifications aboard the ship included more doors and washrooms to install separated sleeping and bathing areas for the coed crew. Stars and Stripes reported on Sunday that In the past five years, the Navy has seen the number of women in the submarine force double and triple, according to Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, commander of Submarine Forces Atlantic.
Fairbanks Morse Defense To Buy Rolls-Royce’ Naval Propulsion Business: Breaking Defense reported on Thursday that Rolls-Royce has reached an agreement to sell its Naval Propulsors and Handling business to Fairbanks Morse Defense for an undisclosed amount of money. The sale will see Rolls facilities in Pascagoula, Mississippi; and Walpole, Massachusetts; as well as its Canadian location in Peterborough, Ontario, transfer over to Fairbanks Morse. Rolls says products rolled out of these facilities are on a number of U.S. Navy vessels, including frigates, destroyers, submarines, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships as well as fleet support and auxiliary ships. Magnolia Tribune reported on Thursday that in total, the divested business supports more than 70 navies worldwide with the design and development of key ship propulsion systems. A timeline for when the deal will be closed was not disclosed by either company.
Space Force Requires Greater Domain Awareness: C4ISRNet reported on Tuesday that Air Force and Space Force leaders this week continued their call for more resources to fund key space capabilities, naming domain awareness and counterspace systems as their top priorities in fiscal 2026. Space Force has been working for the past several years to determine the right mix of satellites and other systems that will be needed to adapt to new threats in orbit. Led by the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, the service has conducted mission-by-mission reviews that, when stitched together, lay out a vision for its ideal force structure over the next 10 to 15 years. Counterspace capabilities are a key part of that vision, as is space domain awareness, missile warning and tracking and space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said. Space News reported on Thursday that Space Force is exploring commercial partnerships and international collaborations to enhance its ability to monitor space activities, specifically in the region of space critical to both civilian and military operations known as geosynchronous orbit, said Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, commander of the Space Systems Command. Garrant said both industry and international partnerships are needed to fill critical gaps in space surveillance.
| Social Media Highlight Of The Week
Posted Wednesday on HII’s Facebook page: “Fall may be in the air, but college students are already looking ahead to summer internships. HII is accepting applications for summer 2025! Internships are paid opportunities for students to work 40 hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks during the summer. Watch this video or send the link below to someone you know who may be interested in an internship at HII. The deadline for students to apply for an internship is Dec. 1, 2024, for HII’s divisions and Nov. 3, 2024, for internships at HII Corporate. To qualify, students must:
Visit HII.com/careers for more information.” |
HII’s Weekly News Digest is produced by HII’s Corporate Communications team and posted to Homeport every Friday.
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