industrial base Archives - Defense Daily

Shipbuilding Plan Reveals Battleship Will be Nuclear Powered and Armed, Pitches Some Foreign Ship Construction

Rich Abott — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:32:12 +0000

The Navy’s latest 30-year shipbuilding plan released Monday reveals the Trump-class battleship will be nuclear powered and armed, extend to a 15-ship class while also explaining plans to allow foreign […]

L3Harris Announces $1 Billion Solid Solid Rocket Motor Expansion In Virginia

Rich Abott — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:15:23 +0000

L3Harris Technologies [LHX] on Wednesday announced an agreement with the Virginia and local governments to more than double its solid rocket motor (SRM) manufacturing space at its Orange County site […]

HII Signs MoU with Second Physical AI Firm To Expand Shipbuilding Automation

Rich Abott — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:02:07 +0000

HII [HII] this week signed its second memorandum of understanding (MoU) with another “Physical AI” firm as it ramps up efforts to increase production through more automation. The April 6 […]

Bath Iron Works Designer Strike Ends With Ratification Of New Contract

Rich Abott — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 21:05:20 +0000

A strike of ship designers at General Dynamics’s [GD] Bath Iron Works (BIW) ended last Saturday when members of the Bath Marine Draftsman’s Association (BMDA) ratified a new four-year contract, […]

Hundreds of Bath Iron Works Ship Designers Go On Strike

Rich Abott — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:21:30 +0000

A union of ship designers at shipbuilder General Dynamics [GD] Bath Iron Works (BIW) went on strike Monday after members rejected the company’s new four-year contract proposal last weekend. The […]

Lockheed Martin Reveals Rapid Fielding Center As Step Between Prototype And Full Production

Rich Abott — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:53:26 +0000

Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Wednesday announced the start of a new intermediate center that can produce prototype-like products in early phases of development but at higher production rates and reliability […]

Master Boat Builders To Start Fabricating Modules For Austal’s Navy Orders

Rich Abott — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 20:33:10 +0000

Last week Master Boat Builders announced it signed its first formal production contract with Austal USA to become a “key subcontractor” as part of the push for distributed that will […]

Hadrian Launches AI-Powered Maritime Industrial Base Factory, Starts with Sub Focus

Rich Abott — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:05:18 +0000

Hadrian Automation on Friday announced a $2.4 billion public-private partnership with the Navy that will result in three artificial intelligence-powered factories aimed at helping produce parts for the Navy’s maritime […]

GD Wins $15 Billion Award For Columbia-Class Sub Industrial Base Support

Rich Abott — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 21:25:51 +0000

The Navy on Wednesday awarded General Dynamics’ [GD] Electric Boat Corp. a $15.38 billion modification in more Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) work related to industrial base development support. This […]

“We Can Do A Lot:” Fincantieri Sees LSMs As Way Back To Serial Production, Could Start Production This Year

Rich Abott — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:07:40 +0000

In the wake of the Navy cancelling the Constellation-class frigate, Fincantieri Marine Group sees its selection to be a builder of the Medium Landing Ship (LSM) as a road back […]

Army’s Mesquite Facility Not Close To Making 155mm Metal Parts, Re-Scoping With GD

Rich Abott — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:32:47 +0000

Nearly two years after opening an artillery projectile facility, Army officials last week admitted they are still not close to having a new Mesquite, Texas, facility actually produce metal parts […]

HII And Path Robotics Sign MoU To Add Physical AI Welding To Shipyards

Rich Abott — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:42:10 +0000

HII [HII] on Tuesday announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ohio-based Path Robotics to integrate the latter’s physical artificial intelligence technology in order to improve shipbuilding throughput […]

Leonardo DRS Opens New Naval Power And Propulsion Facility

Rich Abott — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:48:46 +0000

Leonardo DRS [DRS] on Jan. 23 announced the opening of its new $120 million naval power and propulsion manufacturing and testing facility in Charleston, S.C. The new facility stands at […]

New PAC-3 Agreement Possible With Guaranteed Cash Flows And Inflation Markers, Officials Say

Rich Abott — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:43:46 +0000

Defense Department and Lockheed Martin [LMT] officials confirmed specific measures around cash flows and accounting for inflation are key to a new framework agreement that aims to more than triple […]

DoD and Lockheed Martin Sign Framework Agreement To More Than Triple PAC-3 MSE Production

Rich Abott — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:53:37 +0000

The Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Tuesday announced a new seven year-long framework agreement aimed at pushing annual production of the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 Missile Segment […]

Austal USA To Share 3D Printing Tech With Aussie Shipbuilder ASC

Rich Abott — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:15:29 +0000

Austal USA on Monday announced a recent agreement with Australia’s government-owned Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) to share its 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology in another move to aid Australia’s […]

Australian Official Updates AUKUS Sub Workforce Progress

Rich Abott — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:58:27 +0000

An Australian government official this week gave updated numbers on personnel and confirmed timelines for next steps in AUKUS workforce and maintenance projects. “We are on track to being ready […]

SHIPS Act Shows Support In Committee As Lawmakers Look At Improving Commercial Shipbuilding

Rich Abott — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:10:06 +0000

Senate Commerce Committee members on Tuesday expressed widespread bipartisan support for the SHIPS Act as they questioned panelists on how it can help improve domestic shipbuilding, which could bolster Navy […]

HII And South Korea’s Hyundai Agree To Jointly Bid For Navy Auxiliary Ships

Rich Abott — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 21:20:12 +0000

HII [HII] and South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) over the weekend signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to start “deeper collaboration” between the firms, including jointly bidding on […]

SHIPS Act In Commerce Committee, Kaine Says

Rich Abott — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:34:21 +0000

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Tuesday confirmed the SHIPS Act is currently working its way through the Commerce Committee but he sees ways to connect it to a defense authorization […]

Hanwha Picks Former PEO Ships To Lead U.S. Shipbuilding Programs

Rich Abott — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 20:39:12 +0000

A defense business subsidiary of the South Korean conglomerate Hanwha on Monday appointed the former Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Ships, Rear Adm. (Ret.) Tom Anderson, to lead its shipbuilding […]

Navy Looks To Establish Private Sector Consortium To Manage Maritime Industrial Base Investments

Rich Abott — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 21:33:51 +0000

The Navy is starting market research to find sources that can support the establishment and management of a “Consortium or Consortia” of the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) and execute billions […]

Shipbuilding Prices Have To Reflect Labor Pool and Pay Needs, Distributed Shipbuilding A Necessity: Navy Official

Rich Abott — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 18:53:31 +0000

A Navy official on Thursday emphasized the importance of having naval shipbuilding costs reflect the labor pool and the pay requirements to build and maintain the right workforce while also […]

Eastern Shipbuilding Confirms Subcontracting With HII For Destroyer Builds

Rich Abott — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 20:20:46 +0000

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on Monday confirmed it is one of the six shipbuilding partners helping HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding as it outsources some Arleigh Burke-class destroyer work. The company […]

Australia Commits $8 Billion To Shipbuilding And Sustainment Facility Supporting AUKUS

Rich Abott — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 21:40:27 +0000

The Australian government on Sunday committed to providing $8 billion to deliver a shipbuilder project in Western Australia that will ultimately enable maintaining and building conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) under […]

HII Expands Ingalls DDG Outsourcing Partners, Announces Thales And Babcock Work With Remus UUV

Rich Abott — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:28:34 +0000

U.S. Navy shipbuilder HII [HII] this week detailed the status of its outsourcing partnerships for Navy ship production while also marking coordination with Thales and Babcock International Group on systems […]

Austal Signs Outsourcing Agreement With Master Boat Builders

Rich Abott — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 21:00:24 +0000

Austal USA entered into a strategic outsourcing agreement with Master Boat Builders, Inc. that they billed as a way to increase the shipbuilding industrial base capacity and accelerate delivery for […]

House Lawmakers Introduce Their Version Of AUKUS Industrial Base Collab Bill

Rich Abott — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 21:23:02 +0000

Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Gabi Amo (D-R.I.) on Friday introduced legislation to exempt entities already approved for AUKUS work from another Foreign Military Sales requirement, matching a bill introduced […]

AeroVironment And SNC Pitch Partnership For Lower Tier Golden Dome Bids

Rich Abott — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 08:48:56 +0000

AeroVironment, Inc. [AVAV] announced a new strategic partnership with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) on Thursday during the annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Ala., focused on potential air […]

Hanwha Invests In Philly Shipyard with LNG Order

Rich Abott — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:24:52 +0000

The American shipping subsidiary of South Korean industrial conglomerate Hanwha in July ordered a liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier from a fellow subsidiary, Philly Shipyard, as part of its effort […]

Philly Shipyard Outlines Hanwha’s Improvements, Workforce Plans

Rich Abott — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 22:00:38 +0000

PHILADELPHIA – The Philly Shipyard’s new Korean owners plan to boost the workforce numbers, use several new technologies, and add new capabilities to help it dramatically increase the production rate. […]

Hanwha Looks To Boost Philly Shipyard’s Annual Output To Six-Plus Ships, Add Navy Vessels

Rich Abott — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:53:44 +0000

PHILADELPHIA – The new South Korean owner of the Philly Shipyard is looking at a combination of internal and government-funded yard improvements to boost production from the current 1-1.5 ships per […]

Shipbuilder Fincantieri Appoints New CEO For U.S. Subsidiary

Rich Abott — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:49:58 +0000

Italy’s shipbuilder Fincantieri appointed George Moutafis as the next CEO of U.S. subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), effective July 1. Moutafis succeeds Marco Galbiati, who had served as CEO since […]

Navy Using SM-3s At ‘An Alarming Rate,’ Kilby Says

Rich Abott — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 21:52:07 +0000

Navy officials on Tuesday told the Senate Appropriation’s defense subcommittee that SM-3s are being used quickly and that the administration is still considering building U.S. Navy ships outside the U.S. to […]

Hanwha Says U.S. Committee Approves More Ownership Of Shipbuilder Austal

Rich Abott — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 21:21:51 +0000

South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group on Monday announced a U.S. regulatory body approved the potential for it to significantly increase its equity position in Australia’s Austal, which builds naval vessels […]

SecNav Says Navy Should Consider Competing SSNs

Rich Abott — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 21:12:57 +0000

The Secretary of the Navy Tuesday said the government should consider having the two submarine shipbuilders compete on the next version of the Virginia-class attack submarine (SSN). “I think in […]

House Appropriators Recommend Over $3 Billion More For Shipbuilding Industrial Base In 2026

Rich Abott — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 21:42:25 +0000

The House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee wants to continue bolstering the shipbuilding and maritime industrial base by providing it with over $3 billion in funds according to the committee’s draft […]

L3Harris Breaks Ground On New Rocket Motor Facilities, This Time In Virginia

Rich Abott — Thu, 22 May 2025 20:40:14 +0000

CULPEPER, Va. – L3Harris Technologies’ [LHX] Aerojet Rocketdyne division started clearing trees for new roads and facilities in recent months as it breaks ground to expand its Orange County, Virginia […]

Electric Boat And UAW Union Avoid Strike In Tentative Agreement

Rich Abott — Mon, 19 May 2025 19:24:19 +0000

General Dynamics Electric Boat [GD] and the Marine Draftsmen’s Association (MDA) UAW Local 571 union reached a tentative agreement Sunday night, avoiding a strike by the 2,500 draftsmen, designers and […]

Navy Awards Billions GD And HII Billions To Finish Last Two Block V Virginia-Class SSNs and Shipyard Support

Rich Abott — Thu, 01 May 2025 15:35:38 +0000

The Navy on Wednesday awarded Virginia-class attack submarine (SSN) builders General Dynamics‘ Electric Boat [GD] and HII Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) [HII] at least $14 billion to build two SSNs […]

Electric Boat UAW Union Authorizes Potential Strike Amid Negotiations For New Contract

Rich Abott — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:54:55 +0000

About 2,500 workers represented by the Marine Draftsmen’s Association (MDA) UAW Local 571 union might go on strike if the union and shipbuilder General Dynamics Electric Boat [GD] do not […]

Trump Issues Executive Order Aimed At Revamping Maritime Policy, Investments In Domestic Shipbuilding

Rich Abott — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 21:22:11 +0000

President Trump on Wednesday signed a sweeping executive order aimed at vastly changing the government’s maritime policy and pushing for more investments in domestic shipbuilding. The large, 24-section order is […]

HII’s Kastner Minimizes Metal Tariff Affect To Shipbuilding, Australian Suppliers Helps Fragile Industrial Base

Rich Abott — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:37:23 +0000

The president and CEO of HII [HII] this week downplayed how much impact Trump administration aluminum and steel tariffs would have on the shipbuilding supply chain while noting adding Australian […]

Navy Nuke Head Says New Tech Easing Sub Production Increase

Rich Abott — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:55:20 +0000

The head of the naval nuclear propulsion program this week argued submarine shipbuilding is improving, in part thanks to new technologies. While the U.S. Navy and submarine industrial base are […]

HII Names VEEM As Initial Australian Company To Enter Sub Supplier Program

Rich Abott — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 21:16:11 +0000

HII [HII] named Australia’s VEEM Ltd. as one of the first companies that will join a submarine supplier pilot program HII is leading to help connect Australian firms to the […]

Wittman Says OMB Director Seems Open To SAWS-Type Shipbuilding Workforce Effort

Rich Abott — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 18:14:10 +0000

The vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee this week said the new director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) seems open to a Navy and industry […]

Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Create Shipbuilding Commission

Rich Abott — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 20:26:45 +0000

Three House members on Thursday introduced a bill that would create a new maritime industrial base commission to study and make recommendations on the U.S. maritime industry. The bill, called […]

Workforce And Wage Increases Needed To Fix Shipbuilding Problems, Navy Official And Analysts Tell Lawmakers

Rich Abott — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:30:50 +0000

The Navy’s top procurement official and several independent analysts told lawmakers Tuesday that boosting wages and working through labor shortages are the most important factors in fixing naval shipbuilding. “I […]

Leonardo Details Sub Industrial Base Investment, GA Wins Electric Boat SSN Missile Tube Work

Rich Abott — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:31:33 +0000

Leonardo DRS [DRS] and General Atomics [GA] on Monday disclosed the details of separate new contracts aimed at expanding submarine parts production for both Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and Virginia-class […]

Courtney Slams Trump Steel/Aluminum Tariffs Right After Australia Sends Sub Industry Money

Rich Abott — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 22:29:04 +0000

The ranking member of the House Armed Services Seapower subcommittee criticized President Trump for his announcement of new steel and aluminum tariffs days after Australia sent its first increment of […]