Photo caption: Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Charlotte (SSN 766) maneuvers as it departs following a personnel transfer at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii Oct. 21, 2026. Charlotte was built by HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas A. Russell)
Oct. 30, 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 Third Quarter Earnings: Defense Daily reported on Thursday that HII posted strong third‑quarter financial results driven by shipbuilding sales, profit from the Virginia-class attack submarine program, and milestones in unmanned maritime systems. During the quarter, Mission Technologies more than doubled operating income due to higher sales, milestone achievements on unmanned surface vessel and underwater vehicle programs, and increased equity income from joint ventures in nuclear and environmental work. Inside Defense reported Thursday that total third quarter revenues reached $3.5 billion, while new contract awards totaled more than $32 billion. HII’s new awards included a recent U.S. Navy contract to build 10 ROMULUS medium unmanned surface vessels.
HII Advances Frigate Construction: Inside Defense reported Thursday that HII remains on schedule with construction of the first FF(X) frigate, based on the Coast Guard’s Legend-class national security cutter. During the company’s third‑quarter earnings call, CEO Chris Kastner said several frigate units are already in production. In April, the Navy awarded HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division $283 million for lead yard support, including long‑lead‑time materials, design work and other pre‑construction activities. According to budget justification documents, the Navy intends to award a ship construction contract by March 2027. Meanwhile, the Telegraph reported Sunday that Babcock International has met with Pentagon officials about entering the U.S. frigate competition with its Arrowhead 140 design. The company has not released details, but reports suggest the proposal could involve partnering with HII and transferring intellectual property and design data so the ships could be built in the United States by American workers. If selected, the offer would support British design and engineering jobs.
HII’s ROMULUS USV Marks Key Milestone: KLFY reported Tuesday that HII is partnering with Breaux Brothers Shipyard in New Iberia, Louisiana, to build ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels for the U.S. Navy. Leaders from HII and Breaux Brothers were joined by Louisiana’s governor at a ceremony to install a commemorative hull plaque on the first‑in‑class ROMULUS 151. Naval Today reported Thursday that ROMULUS is a modular family of AI‑enabled USVs built using HII’s open‑architecture Odyssey autonomy solutions. The platform is designed for a wide range of missions, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; mine countermeasures; strike operations; counter‑unmanned systems; and launch and recovery of unmanned underwater and aerial vehicles.
John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) Plays Role in Military Resilience Initiative: Inside Defense reported Wednesday that the U.S. Navy plans to power Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia using the nuclear reactors aboard the Ford-class aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Kennedy sailed from HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division in September after preliminary acceptance, with final delivery expected in early 2027. The test at Norfolk Naval is scheduled for Dec. 1 and is part of the Pentagon’s plan to reduce military dependence on civilian infrastructure, a priority outlined in a memo from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. WTKR reported Wednesday that the energy‑independence initiative is known as FORTRESS America, or Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply and Survivability. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the Navy plans to install small modular reactors (SMRs) at four installations to improve energy resilience. Cao told participants at the Northeast Indiana Defense Summit that Naval Support Activity Crane in Indiana will be one of the sites. The other three installations have not yet been identified.
| Social Media Highlight Of The Week
Posted Thursday on Mission Technologies’ LinkedIn page:
“Born on the bayou. Built for the fleet. ROMULUS 151 took center stage in New Iberia, Louisiana, marking a major milestone as HII advances production of unmanned surface vessels for the US Navy. “Louisiana is the powerhouse of the maritime industry, and today we solidified that legacy. Working with Breaux Brothers and HII, we are committed to ensuring the next generation of maritime technology is built by Louisiana hands on Louisiana soil,” said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. And the impact reaches far beyond the shipyard. “Autonomous systems like the ROMULUS MUSV do not replace capital warships. They act as decisive force multipliers, extending the fleet’s reach, sensor perimeter, and operational agility in contested waters,” said Vice Adm. Michael Wolfe, U.S. Navy. With HII’s Odyssey Autonomous Control Solutions at its core and the shipbuilding expertise of Team HII behind it, ROMULUS is bringing proven autonomy to the future fleet.” |
First U.S. Submarine Joins Submarine Rotational Force–West: Navy Times reported Monday that USS Colorado (SSN 788) will be the first U.S. Virginia-class fast‑attack submarine assigned to Submarine Rotational Force–West. SRF‑West is expected to reach initial operating capability in 2027 and will be based at HMAS Stirling outside Perth. USNI News reported Monday that USS Colorado’s deployment is among the early steps of the AUKUS Pillar I agreement to build the infrastructure needed for Australia to field three to five Virginia-class attack submarines in the 2030s. The announcement comes ahead of the third annual maintenance period for a U.S. Virginia-class submarine in Stirling. In 2024, USS Hawaii (SSN 776) underwent repairs by the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). Last year, USS Vermont (SSN 792) arrived in Stirling for maintenance with Australian workers without the tender.
HII’s Weekly News Digest is produced by HII’s Corporate Communications team and posted to MyHII every Friday.
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