Photo caption: Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and Arleigh-burke class guided missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) transit in formation during a photo exercise while underway in the Pacific Ocean, June 29, 2024. George Washington is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2024 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility through joint, multinational, and interagency exchanges and cooperation.
June 28, 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.
HII Makes Washington Technology’s Top 25 List: On Monday, Washington Technology listed HII as No. 23 in the publisher’s Top 100 rankings, with approximately $2.14 billion in unclassified prime tech and professional services obligations. HII first cracked the list in 2018 at slot No. 71 and held in the middle third of the rankings over the following two years. HII’s acquisition of Alion Science & Technology in 2021 resulted in a large spike to No. 24 in 2022 and up one spot in 2023. Mission Technologies President Andy Green said a tangible sign of Alion’s integration and contribution to the larger HII mission can be seen in the company’s key technology priorities and how they apply to the larger business strategy. Cybersecurity, electronic warfare, training, unmanned and autonomous systems, and the “C5ISR” information dominance concept are where HII focuses much of its tech attention. Green also singled out spectrum management as one area HII has keyed on within electronic warfare.
House Lawmakers Tour NNS: House lawmakers, including key members of the House Armed Services Committee, toured HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding facility this week, emphasizing its critical role in national defense as the sole designer and builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of two shipyards for nuclear submarines, 13 News Now reported. The visit highlighted technological advancements and workforce development initiatives at NNS, essential for maintaining production efficiency and quality. Discussions centered on securing approval for the construction of two Virginia-Class submarines per year to deter Chinese aggression, a priority for sustaining HII’s strategic operations, according to statements by Rep. Mike Rogers and Rep. Jen Kiggans. Additionally, WTKR reported lawmakers addressed military housing issues, advocating for increased funding to improve service members’ quality of life, potentially benefiting HII by ensuring a stable and motivated workforce.
Kaine: Immigration Reform Needed To Assist Shipbuilders: Inside Defense reported on Friday, June 21, that Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., believes that immigration reform is needed to expand the defense industrial base workforce to a size that will produce Virginia-class submarines needed to satisfy the AUKUS security pact. Kaine, who serves as the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee chair, said workforce challenges are the greatest obstacle facing the first pillar of AUKUS, which calls for the sale of at least three Virginia submarines to Australia beginning in the early 2030s. Though the Defense Department and its industry partners are investing in initiatives to increase hiring and improve retention within the existing U.S. labor pool, Kaine argued during an AUKUS-focused event hosted by the Center for a New American Security that the available labor pool must grow to meet heightened shipbuilding demand. Defense Daily reported on June 21 that Kaine lauded Australia’s willingness to invest $3 billion in the U.S. submarine industrial base as “pretty remarkable,” but said they will only be able to meet the need if the U.S. is “creative on the workforce.”
Eisenhower Strike Group Heads Home: USNI News reported on Saturday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has elected to not extend the deployment of aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and the ship has now departed the Red Sea on its way back to homeport in Norfolk, Virginia. Replacing Eisenhower in the Middle East will be USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), which is currently in the Pacific. Austin had already extended Eisenhower’s deployment twice, and it has been deployed for more days than any other U.S.-based carrier for the last five years. It’s unclear how long Roosevelt will need to stay on station before it’s relieved by the next carrier slated to operate in the region. The next carrier on the East Coast preparing to leave is USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), which is still early in its workups ahead of a deployment later this summer. Military.com reported Monday that Pentagon officials remain confident that they can respond to ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea during Eisenhower’s absence.
Social Media Highlight Of The Week 
Posted Friday to HII’s Facebook page: “HII’s #IngallsShipbuilding division recently hosted 23 Mississippi educators for a two-week Educator Externship program at the company’s shipyard in Pascagoula. The program provided educators with the opportunity to work alongside shipbuilders throughout the yard and gain insight into how each of them can assist Ingalls in developing the next generation of shipbuilders. Through investments in education and workforce development initiatives such as the Educator Externship program, Ingalls reaffirms its continued commitment to building both ships and careers across the Gulf Coast. We congratulate this year’s educator externship participants for completing the program and extend sincere gratitude to all our nation’s educators for their crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of our youth. Read more about the Ingalls Educator Externship here: https://hii.com/news/hii-ingalls-shipbuilding-hosts-mississippi-educators/” |
HII’s Weekly News Digest is produced by HII’s Corporate Communications team and posted to Homeport every Friday.
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