Newport News Shipbuilding

Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) is a major American naval shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, and a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. Established in 1886 as the Chesapeake Dry Dock and Construction Company, it was created by industrialist Collis Potter Huntington in connection with the expansion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and its coal-export facilities on Hampton Roads. The yard initially repaired vessels serving the growing transportation hub, but quickly moved into new construction. Its first completed vessel was the tugboat Dorothy, delivered in 1891, and by the end of the nineteenth century it had built several warships for the United States Navy. The company became one of the most important builders of American naval vessels during the twentieth century. It constructed six of the United States Navy's dreadnought battleships between 1907 and 1923 and later built early aircraft carriers, including USS Ranger, USS Yorktown, and USS Enterprise. During the First World War it delivered destroyers and expanded rapidly, contributing to the creation of Hilton Village, a planned community built to house the shipyard's growing workforce. The yard also had a substantial commercial business, building and modernizing ocean liners such as SS Leviathan, SS California, SS Virginia, SS Pennsylvania, SS President Hoover, SS President Coolidge, and SS America. During the Second World War, NNS produced naval vessels and participated in the national emergency shipbuilding effort. Its affiliated North Carolina Shipbuilding Company built 243 vessels, including 186 Liberty ships. The shipyard received the Navy's award for excellence in wartime production. After the war, it built SS United States, which established a transatlantic speed record, and became increasingly central to nuclear naval propulsion. Working with Westinghouse and the Navy, it helped develop a prototype nuclear propulsion reactor for an aircraft carrier, launched its first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Robert E. Lee, in 1959, and designed USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in 1960. NNS is now focused on complex nuclear-powered naval programs. It is the sole United States designer, builder, and refueler of aircraft carriers and one of two suppliers of submarines for the Navy. Its principal work includes Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, Virginia-class attack submarines, carrier refueling and complex overhauls, modernization, and ship deactivation. The yard has completed major refueling and overhaul programs for five Nimitz-class carriers and began deactivation work on USS Enterprise in 2013. Since 1999, its new-construction work has been limited to Navy warships. The business has changed ownership several times. It merged with Tenneco in 1968, was spun off as an independent company in the 1990s, and was acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2001 after a contested sale process involving General Dynamics and antitrust concerns. In 2011, the shipbuilding operation became part of the newly independent Huntington Ingalls Industries. Today, the shipyard occupies more than 550 acres and remains a major employer in the Hampton Roads region, with capabilities that are strategically significant to the United States nuclear-powered fleet.

Newport News Shipbuilding originated in the industrial expansion surrounding the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Collis Potter Huntington financed the railway's extension down Virginia's Peninsula to Newport News Point, where a coal pier was developed on Hampton Roads. In 1886 he established a shipyard to repair vessels serving the rail and port complex. The business delivered its first ship, the tugboat Dorothy, in 1891 and soon entered naval construction, completing USS Nashville, USS Wilmington, and USS Helena for the Navy by 1897. The yard expanded under Huntington's successors and became a significant builder during the American naval modernization of the early twentieth century. It constructed six of the Navy's 22 dreadnought battleships between 1907 and 1923 and built seven of the 16 battleships associated with the Great White Fleet. Its work broadened beyond warships to include ocean liners and major conversions. The former German liner Vaterland was rebuilt as SS Leviathan, while the yard launched a series of turbo-electric liners for Panama Pacific and Dollar Steamship. SS America, launched in 1939, was subsequently converted for wartime service as USS West Point. World War I generated large Navy orders, including 25 destroyers delivered between 1918 and 1920. The rapid increase in employment contributed to the federal construction of Hilton Village, a planned community for shipyard workers. In World War II, NNS built naval vessels and supported the Emergency Shipbuilding Program through the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company. That affiliate constructed 243 ships, including 186 Liberty ships, and NNS received the Navy's award for excellence in shipbuilding production. After the war, the yard built SS United States and continued developing advanced naval capabilities. In the 1950s it worked with Westinghouse and the Navy on a prototype nuclear carrier propulsion reactor. NNS launched USS Robert E. Lee, its first nuclear-powered submarine, in 1959 and designed USS Enterprise in 1960. It later became a principal builder of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, Los Angeles-class submarines, and Virginia-class submarines. The shipyard's social history also includes an important 1966 agreement responding to findings of racial discrimination in supervision, apprenticeship, promotion, and pay. The company agreed to provide corrective promotions and compensation and to accelerate advancement for qualified Black employees. Commercial construction continued through the 1970s, including very large tankers and liquefied natural gas carriers, but the yard's new-construction focus narrowed to Navy warships by 1999. Corporate ownership changed repeatedly. Newport News merged with Tenneco in 1968 and was spun off as an independent company beginning in 1996. General Dynamics attempted to acquire it, but withdrew after antitrust litigation concerning competition in Virginia-class submarine construction. Northrop Grumman then purchased the company for a reported $2.6 billion, renamed it Northrop Grumman Newport News, and later combined it with Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. In 2011 the operation became part of Huntington Ingalls Industries after that business was separated from Northrop Grumman. The modern yard remains focused on aircraft carriers, submarines, nuclear refueling, modernization, and deactivation.

1. 2013USS Enterprise deactivation began

   NNS began deactivating the nuclear-powered carrier it had built.

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2. 2011Became part of Huntington Ingalls Industries

   The shipbuilding operation became part of the newly independent Huntington Ingalls Industries.

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3. 2001Acquired by Northrop Grumman

   Northrop Grumman acquired the shipyard after a contested bidding process.

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4. 1968Merged with Tenneco

   Newport News Shipbuilding became part of Tenneco.

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5. 1960USS Enterprise designed

   NNS designed USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

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6. 1959First nuclear-powered submarine launched

   NNS launched USS Robert E. Lee, its first nuclear-powered submarine.

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7. 1941Emergency shipbuilding expanded

   The affiliated North Carolina Shipbuilding Company launched its first Liberty ship during the wartime emergency program.

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8. 1934USS Ranger delivered

   NNS delivered USS Ranger, establishing an important place in American aircraft-carrier construction.

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9. 1923SS Leviathan reconstruction completed

   The former German liner Vaterland emerged from an extensive NNS reconstruction as SS Leviathan.

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10. 1918Hilton Village created for shipyard workers

    The federal government developed Hilton Village to house the workforce needed for wartime shipbuilding.

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11. 1897Early Navy warships completed

    The yard had built USS Nashville, USS Wilmington, and USS Helena for the United States Navy.

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12. 1891First vessel delivered

    The tugboat Dorothy became the yard's first completed vessel.

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13. 1886Shipyard founded

    Collis Potter Huntington established the Chesapeake Dry Dock and Construction Company at Newport News, Virginia.

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A core United States Navy industrial partner specializing in the construction and lifecycle support of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines.

• Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriersNuclear-powered aircraft carriers

  NNS is the sole United States shipyard responsible for designing and building Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The class represents the yard's contemporary carrier-construction role, combining nuclear propulsion, advanced launch and recovery systems, and large-scale integration of aviation, weapons, and ship systems. USS Enterprise (CVN-80) and USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) are identified as ships under construction in the reference material.

• Virginia-class submarinesNuclear-powered attack submarines

  Newport News Shipbuilding is one of two United States providers of submarines for the Navy and participates in the construction of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. The program is performed in cooperation with General Dynamics Electric Boat, making the yard part of a long-running industrial arrangement for advanced submarine design, construction, and systems integration.

• Nimitz-class refueling and complex overhaulShip lifecycle services

  The shipyard performs four-year refueling and complex overhaul work on Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. The work includes refueling nuclear reactors, modernization, renewal of major ship systems, and extensive maintenance. NNS had completed this work on USS Nimitz, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Carl Vinson, USS Theodore Roosevelt, and USS Abraham Lincoln; work on USS George Washington was reported as underway in the reference material.

• Los Angeles-class submarinesNuclear-powered attack submarines

  During the late twentieth century, NNS built Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarines for the United States Navy. The class formed part of the yard's transition toward sustained specialization in nuclear naval construction and helped establish the submarine engineering and production capabilities used by later programs.

• Commercial ocean linersCommercial ships

  Before concentrating on Navy warships, NNS built and reconstructed major commercial vessels. Notable work included SS Leviathan, the turbo-electric SS California, SS Virginia, SS Pennsylvania, SS President Hoover, SS President Coolidge, and SS America. The commercial portfolio also included very large tankers and liquefied natural gas carriers during the 1970s.

• 2013USS Enterprise deactivationOther

  USS Enterprise was a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier designed and built by Newport News Shipbuilding and had reached the end of its service life.

  What changed. NNS began the carrier's nuclear deactivation and related shipyard work.

  Aftermath. The project demonstrated the yard's role across the full lifecycle of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, not only in new construction.

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• 2001Acquisition by Northrop GrummanM&A

  General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman competed to acquire the company. The Justice Department challenged General Dynamics' proposed transaction because it could have reduced competition in Virginia-class submarine construction.

  What changed. General Dynamics withdrew its bid, allowing Northrop Grumman to acquire Newport News Shipbuilding and rename it Northrop Grumman Newport News.

  Aftermath. The business was later combined with Northrop Grumman Ship Systems and ultimately became part of Huntington Ingalls Industries in 2011.

  Acquisition value. $2.6 billion (2001)

  • General Dynamics — General Dynamics withdrew its bid after the Department of Justice pursued antitrust action.
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• 1999New-construction focus narrowed to Navy warshipsStrategy

  After decades of commercial and naval construction, the yard increasingly specialized in complex United States Navy programs.

  What changed. Newport News Shipbuilding moved to a business model centered on Navy warships, particularly nuclear-powered carriers and submarines.

  Aftermath. The shipyard became more tightly aligned with the United States nuclear naval industrial base.

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• 1966Agreement to address racial discriminationStrategy

  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found severe underrepresentation of Black employees in supervisory and apprenticeship positions and identified discriminatory promotion and pay practices.

  What changed. The shipyard agreed to provide promotions and pay adjustments for affected Black employees and to accelerate promotion of qualified Black workers.

  Aftermath. The agreement became part of the shipyard's documented labor and civil-rights history.

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• 2009Improperly installed submarine weapons-system fastenersControversy

  Bolts and fasteners in weapons-handling systems on four submarines were installed incorrectly. The defects delayed launches while the affected work was corrected.

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• 2007Incorrect metal used in submarine pipe jointsControversy

  The Navy found that workers had used an incorrect metal to fuse pipes and joints on submarines under construction. The issue was considered capable of causing cracking and leaks and required corrective attention.

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• 2013Newport News Shipbuilding begins deactivation of USS Enterprise

  The shipyard began the deactivation of USS Enterprise, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier it had designed and built.

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• 2009Incorrect submarine weapons-system fasteners delay launches

  Incorrect installation of bolts and fasteners in weapons-handling systems affected four Navy submarines and delayed their launches while corrective work was performed.

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• 2007Incorrect submarine pipe materials identified

  The United States Navy found that incorrect metal had been used in the joining of pipes and fittings on submarines under construction, creating a potential cracking and leakage risk.

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• 2001Northrop Grumman completes acquisition of Newport News Shipbuilding

  Northrop Grumman acquired the shipbuilder after General Dynamics withdrew its competing bid following Department of Justice antitrust action.

  M&A
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1. Newport News Shipbuilding
2. Official Newport News Shipbuilding website