Photo caption: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Jan 29, 2026) – Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Indiana (SSN 789) returns to its homeport at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a scheduled underway, Jan. 29, 2026. Indiana was built by HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Russell)
Feb. 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.
HII Reports Fourth Quarter And Full Year 2025 Earnings: Defense Daily reported on Thursday that HII posted strong fourth quarter and full-year results on strength across all three of its divisions. Operating income more than doubled at Newport News Shipbuilding and Mission Technologies on improved performance in the Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine program, warfare systems, global security and unmanned systems. Ingalls Shipbuilding also recorded strong operating earnings on higher sales and fewer unfavorable revenue adjustments for amphibious assault ships and surface combatants versus a year ago. Inside Defense reported on Thursday that HII ended 2025 with $774 million in cash and cash equivalents on hand and reported fourth quarter revenues of $3.5 billion, which is $500 million more than the same quarter last year. HII Chief Financial Officer Tom Stiehle told participants during the company’s quarterly earnings call that HII invested $396 million in capital expenses in 2025 and it plans to increase such investments to as much as $600 million during 2026. This money will be used to increase throughput in shipyards, especially at Newport News Shipbuilding, CEO Chris Kastner said. The company also aims to increase shipyard throughput by increasing outsourced work by another 30% in 2026. The Virginian-Pilot reported on Thursday that HII expects significant contract awards in 2026 and 2027.
Lawmakers Look Ahead To Fiscal Year 2027 Defense Bill: Politico reported on Friday that leaders from the House and Senate armed services committees are eyeing the fiscal year 2027 defense budget bill now that fiscal 2026 bill is in the books. Politico reported on Tuesday that a package of five full-year funding bills for fiscal 2026 signed by President Donald Trump includes $839 billion for the Pentagon. The funding is in addition to a multi-year infusion of more than $150 billion for defense programs in Republicans’ megabill last year. The deal allocates $27.1 billion for Navy shipbuilding and includes $1.9 billion for Virginia-class submarines, $1.8 billion in advance procurement funding for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, an extra $242 million to buy raw materials for the new FF(X) frigate, $800 million to buy more medium landing ships, and $462 million for completing ships bought in prior years. Looking ahead to fiscal 2027, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rodgers said improving the defense industrial base will be a central topic during conversations when the committees meet next week. Breaking Defense reported on Thursday that Rodgers is trying to secure $450 billion for defense in a fiscal 2027 reconciliation bill, that would be needed in addition to the base budget. Rodgers believes the additional funding will be necessary to achieve the president’s targeted $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2027.
Aircraft Carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) Returns After Initial Sea Trials: USNI News reported on Wednesday that the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) returned to HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division after completing builder’s trials at sea. The weeklong trials tested key ship systems and operations as the carrier moves toward delivery to the U.S. Navy. Stars and Stripes reported on Wednesday that John F. Kennedy, the second Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, is scheduled for preliminary acceptance later this year and delivery in March 2027. Newport News Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said the trials brought together shipbuilders, sailors and Navy personnel to demonstrate ship performance. Once delivered and commissioned, John F. Kennedy is expected to feature improved operational efficiency and reduced crew size compared with Nimitz-class carriers.
| Social Media Highlight Of The Week
Posted Monday on HII’s Facebook page:
“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one does a lot of talking. U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing 8 aircraft fly in formation over the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), built by our #NewportNewsShipbuilding division, during Carrier Air Wing 8’s aerial change of command ceremony while underway in the Caribbean Sea on January 19. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Nation in 2026, we’re proud to build these symbols of American freedom that will defend our liberties for centuries to come. #America250” |
NNS Expands Additive Manufacturing With Second NXG Printer: TCT Magazine reported on Tuesday that HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division has ordered a second large-format NXG metal 3D printer from Nikon SLM Solutions, less than three months after acquiring its first. The NXG 600E laser powder systems will be used to produce large, complex components and replace legacy castings for critical naval applications supporting U.S. Navy shipbuilding and the broader maritime industrial base. Newport News Shipbuilding is the first U.S. shipyard to deploy the capability at scale. Nikon SLM Solutions is supporting parameter development and process maturation for production of nickel aluminum bronze components, expanding domestic additive manufacturing capability within Navy supply chains. Virginia Business previously reported that HII opened a manufacturing facility in Hampton, Virginia, that where NNS will house additive manufacturing machines used to advance production of aircraft carriers and submarines.
HII-Built Ships De-Escalate Mid-East Tensions: NBC News reported on Tuesday that a Marine F-35C Lighting II fighter deployed with the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone flying over the Arabian Sea. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and kept flying toward it “despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters,” according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. The shootdown occurred within hours of Iranian forces harassing a U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed merchant vessel that was sailing in the Strait of Hormuz. In the incident involving the merchant vessel, USS McFaul (DDG 74), an independently deployed destroyer in the Persian Gulf, responded to the attempted seizure and escorted the tanker. USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the region from the South China Sea just days ago, while USS McFaul has been in the Persian Gulf since Jan. 5 after deploying in November from Norfolk, Virginia. Both Navy ships were built at HII’s shipbuilding divisions.
HII’s Weekly News Digest is produced by HII’s Corporate Communications team and posted to Homeport every Friday.
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