Photo caption: U.S. Sailors park a Bell UH-1Y Venom medium utility helicopter, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265, on the flight deck of America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), April 15, 2026. HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division builds the America class for the U.S. Navy. (U.S. Navy photo)
May 1, 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 Wins $283 Million Frigate Award: Stars and Stripes reported on Wednesday that HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has won a $283 million U.S. Navy contract that will allow it to begin work on the new frigate. The new FF(X) program will utilize the Coast Guard’s Legend-class national security cutter as a framework to save on time and design costs. Under the new contract, Ingalls will begin cutting and shaping raw materials to support future phases of work on the main structure foundation and the overall construction sequencing plan of the first ship. USNI News reported on Tuesday that the Navy’s fiscal year 2027 budget submission unveiled last week projects the service will buy one FF(X) in FY 2027, another in FY 2029 and two in FY 2031. On Tuesday, the new program acquisition executive for maritime released a rendering of the proposed frigate based on the modified cutter design. The rendering features an additional bumpout forward of the superstructure, what appears to be a 57 mm main deck gun, a missile-based close-in weapon system and racks to the aft with 16 naval strike missiles.
Navy Considers Adding Hulls To Columbia-Class Submarine Program: Inside Defense reported on Friday, April 24, that the U.S. Navy may add two hulls to its Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, pending a force-structure review. Fiscal year 2027 shipbuilding budget books published last week revealed tentative plans to begin funding advanced procurement for SSBNs 838 and 839 in FY 2028, a move that would bring the total Columbia program of record up to 14 vessels. Robert Kadlec, assistant defense secretary for nuclear deterrence, chemical and biological defense policy and programs, told members of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee that the Pentagon could further expand the program to 15 or more submarines. HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division is a major shipbuilding partner in the Columbia-class program, constructing and delivering six module sections per submarine under contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat. USNI News reported on Wednesday that General Dynamics President Danny Deep told investors during the company’s first quarter earnings call that Electric Boat is scheduled to deliver District of Columbia (SSBN 826) by the end of 2028. Delivering the 21,000-ton ballistic missile nuclear submarine on time is the top acquisition priority for the Pentagon for District of Columbia to be ready for its first deterrent patrol in 2030.
HII Will Deliver Torpedo Tube Launch And Recovery System Under DIU Contract: ExecutiveBiz reported on Wednesday that HII has secured a Defense Innovation Unit contract to deliver a torpedo tube launch and recovery, or TTLR, system designed to deploy and retrieve REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles from U.S. Navy submarines. The system advances manned-unmanned teaming; supports intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions; and expands operational reach in contested environments. The TTLR capability is built to reduce personnel risk while increasing mission flexibility by enabling submarines to deploy and recover unmanned systems without diver assistance. The DIU award aligns with HII’s push to integrate autonomous systems, modular technologies and open architecture platforms to support distributed maritime operations. HII has been advancing a system-of-systems approach that combines submarines, unmanned surface and undersea vehicles, and mission management software to deliver coordinated effects across domains. Recent efforts include a partnership with Nominal to accelerate production and testing of REMUS platforms. Naval Today reported on Tuesday that HII has delivered more than 750 REMUS vehicles to over 30 countries. More than 90% of those systems remain in service after more than two decades of production.
| Social Media Highlight Of The Week
Posted Thursday on HII’s Facebook page: “April 30 is #NationalApprenticeshipDay, and HII is highlighting the thousands of HII apprentices who are helping build the most advanced ships and technologies for our national security. This nationwide celebration established by the U.S. Department of Labor recognizes the importance of connecting individuals to meaningful careers and assisting employers in building a skilled workforce. It comes in the middle of #NationalApprenticeshipWeek, which has moved to the spring. Through registered apprenticeship programs offered at each of our three divisions—#IngallsShipbuilding, #MissionTechnologies, and #NewportNewsShipbuilding—we’re developing the next generation of skilled professionals in the industry through a unique blend of on-the-job training and classroom instruction. By laying the groundwork for a rewarding future career at HII, we’re proud to celebrate our apprentices every day and are grateful for their contributions to creating the advantage for those defending our nation. To learn more about apprenticeships and career opportunities at HII, visit HII.com/careers. #BuildIt” |
HII Awarded UK REMUS UUV Support Contract: The UK Defence Journal reported on Saturday that the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence has awarded a $4 million contract to HII to support the Royal Navy’s REMUS 100 and REMUS 300 unmanned underwater vehicle fleets. The contract covers management, technical support, repairs, training and maintenance of those UUVs. The Royal Navy has increasingly looked to autonomous and unmanned underwater capabilities for both mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare operations in recent years. The award represents a follow-on support contract for systems already in service with the Royal Navy.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Heading Home Following Record-Breaking Deployment: The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), will head to its Norfolk, Virginia, homeport from the Middle East following a record-setting deployment. The arrival of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) to the Arabian Sea last week meant three American aircraft carriers were deployed to the Middle East — a number not seen since 2003 — during a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) also has been in the region since January as tensions with Tehran ramped up. The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Lincoln and Bush are operating in the Arabian Sea to enforce the U.S. blockade targeting vessels carrying oil or goods from Iranian ports. At a congressional hearing Wednesday, multiple lawmakers addressed the Ford’s extended deployment, questioning Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth whether the cost to the ship and crew was necessary. Ford, the Navy’s newest carrier, left port at Naval Station Norfolk on June 24 to sail for Europe. It was later directed by the Trump administration to sail back across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, where it assisted in the U.S. blockade of Venezuela’s oil exports and the January capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Its deployment was then extended, and the carrier was sent to the Middle East to support U.S. war operations against Iran.
HII’s Weekly News Digest is produced by HII’s Corporate Communications team and posted to Homeport every Friday.
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