Photo caption: An F/A-18F Super Hornet, an F-35C Lightning II, and an EA-18G Growler, all attached to the “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, prepare for flight operations aboard Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), Nov. 2, 2026. John F. Kennedy is underway conducting Aircraft Compatibility Testing, which assesses the operational capabilities of the ship’s aircraft launch and recovery equipment with U.S. Navy aircraft.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kaitlyn Bailey)

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Nov. 6, 2026

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.

Ingalls Shipbuilding Completes LPD 30 Builders Trials: Defense Daily reported on Wednesday that Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship Harrisburg (LPD 30) successfully completed builders sea trials on Oct. 31. During this multi-day trial period, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division conducted a set of tests to verify the ship’s propulsion, steering, ship control systems, communications, mission systems, and combat systems integration. WLOX reported on Wednesday that the next step is acceptance trials and delivery to the Navy, expected later this year. Meanwhile, WorkBoat reported on Wednesday that Ingalls Shipbuilding selected Eastern Shipbuilding, in Panama City, Florida, to fabricate six structural units for Philadelphia (LPD 32). Eastern is expected to deliver those units to Ingalls beginning in the third quarter of 2027. The units will be incorporated into the ship’s final assembly at Ingalls. The contract expands Eastern’s participation in Ingalls’ distributed shipbuilding program, which assigns selected fabrication work to partner yards to increase construction capacity. Eastern previously built units for Ingalls’ Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program.

HII, Thales Partner on Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Demonstration: Breaking Defense reported on Tuesday that HII and Thales have teamed up to deploy Thales’ SAMDIS 600 sonar on HII’s Remus 620 unmanned underwater vehicle, which can conduct long-range, multi-day operations. Together, they used Thales’ Expeditionary Portable Operation Center command and control system to function as the “operational hub,” along with HII’s Odyssey command and control software to facilitate mission planning and management to scout potential mine threats. The exercise also employed HII’s automated Sea Launcher launch-and-recovery system to deploy and retrieve the REMUS UUV. The launcher system can be paired with either manned or unmanned systems, further removing sailors from the minefield. Defence Industry Europe reported on Tuesday that the companies first began testing together in 2025, and the latest work added mission management, AI-assisted data analysis and the ANGLER mine-neutralization capability from Thales subsidiary Advanced Acoustic Concepts.

Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) Departs NNS: Stars and Stripes reported on Tuesday that the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Enterprise (CVN 65), was towed from HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division en route to Alabama where it will be dismantled. Enterprise was commissioned in 1961 and served the Navy for more than 50 years, participating in the Cold War, the Vietnam War and post-9/11 conflicts, including Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The ship was deactivated in December 2012, and defueling of its reactor plants was completed in 2017. Enterprise safely steamed more than 1 million nautical miles under nuclear power during its operational career, the Navy said. Enterprise’s legacy will continue with the future Ford-class aircraft carrier, Enterprise (CVN 80), which is being built at Newport News Shipbuilding. AL.com reported on Wednesday that the ship is expected to arrive in Mobile, Alabama, on or about Nov. 13. Once there, it will be broken down for scrap. Potentially hazardous material, including the carrier’s eight defueled nuclear reactors, will be taken out of the state to approved disposal sites.

Midterm Elections To Shift Congressional Landscape: Breaking Defense reported on Tuesday that the Democratic wave that swept control of Congress following the Nov. 3 midterm elections took with it several notable defense experts from the House and Senate. The 120^th Congress will see major reshuffling of both the House and Senate defense-related committees, thanks to a mix of upsets and retirements. The election resulted in a loss for Maine Sen. Susan Collins, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman, head of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) tactical air and land subpanel, lost his race to Democrat Shannon Taylor. Military Times reported on Wednesday that Democrat Adam Smith, D-Wash., won his re-election bid and is now bidding to reclaim the HASC chair. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., has similarly alternated between chair and ranking member of Senate Armed Services Committee since 2015 and is in line to take the gavel again. Politico reported on Friday that House Democrats will hold their leadership elections on Nov. 18, and Senate Democrats are expected to follow suit shortly after. The new leadership won’t formally name committee chairs until December.

Vessel Construction Manager Awards Landing Ship Contract to Hanwha Philly Shipyard: USNI News reported on Oct. 30 that Hanwha Philly Shipyard has won a $269 million contract to build the Marine Corps’ landing ship medium. TOTE Services, which won a $2.2 billion contract in July to function as the LSM vessel construction manager, awarded Hanwha the contract after soliciting a request for proposals in July. Gulf Coast-based Bollinger Shipyards is already on contract to build the first LSM. Fincantieri Marinette Marine out of Wisconsin won a contract earlier this year for long-lead items for four ships. TOTE’s LSM contract is for as many as eight ships. Breaking Defense reported on Oct. 30 that the vessel construction manager model is common in commercial shipbuilding but new to Navy shipbuilding. According to the Navy, the manager serves as the prime contractor and carries direct contractual oversight of construction and delivery for the landing ship medium.

HII’s Weekly News Digest is produced by HII’s Corporate Communications team and posted to MyHII every Friday.

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