Santa is bringing a major contract and with it a heavy new workload.
Back in the 1880's when railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington eyed the sleepy town of Newport News on the James, nobody knew exactly what the business creator really had in mind. Oh, they knew he was bringing the railroad to town, turning the new Port of Newport News into a major coal terminus for shipment of the fuel source to Europe which was in great need of a reliable coal supply. What they didn't know, however, is that Huntington eyed the land north of the planned coal operation for a shipbuilding facility, one which offered a sheltered riverfront with high banks which was a perfect fit for his plans for opening in 1886. The first production vessel was delivered in 1890, a state of the art tugboat, the Dorothy, built with the original workforce of two hundred, yet over the ensuing years, Newport News Ship grew into one of the great shipyards of the world. Her fame grew rapidly in World War II with her delivery of great wartime vessels, including aircraft carriers which were so important in that great war. The stewardship of Homer L. Ferguson, a former Naval officer who became affiliated with the shipyard in 1905 as a hull superintendent, ultimately becoming Shipyard President in 1915 played a key role in the company's success in weathering economic good and bad times as her fame developed. His success in gaining capital to improve operations and physical plant led to the shipyard growing exponentially and becoming the only yard full capable of independently building aircraft carriers. Without them, the United States likely could not have succeeded in the Pacific theater. But the shipyard has also suffered lean years when ship production, first private line commercial vessels, then military ones during cutback years in more recent years, lagged. So, why do I say that the hometown shipyard today has the blessing of a great Christmas present this year?
A major change took place last January with the award of two new aircraft carrier contracts, the new Enterprise CVN80 and a yet unnamed CVN81. Two vessels, with a combined dollar value approximately twenty-four billion in value were awarded, resulting in a cost savings to the Navy of what is expected to be four billion dollars. Newport News worked close with the Navy using economies of scale to make this possible and as the only shipyard outfitted for construction from scratch, this will allow for a stable work environment for a large number of workers for the next dozen years as they complete one, then the other using common design documents requiring only modest modifications along the way. They follow on the heels of the christening of the new John F. Kennedy, CVN 79, a new Ford-class aircraft carrier on December 7, 2019, with the two new ones being in the same advanced class. But wait, there's more.
Just last week, Newport News Ship was awarded a huge portion of a new submarine contract as the principal sub-contractor of a contract let to Electric Boat. The now Huntington-Ingalls Newport News facility will be principally responsible for construction of five of nine new Virginia-class submarines designed to ensure America's mastery of undersea warfare requirements in the years to come. Both shipyards win by working together for a share of the largest submarine contract in Naval history, some twenty-two billion dollars while the Navy wins by both getting a much better savings than expected and insuring that American shipyards are fully engaged, avoiding the danger of losing workers and facility expertise through lack of use. And whether or not any Americans like military expenditures or not, if we Americans want to remain free, we must stay technologically advanced with a fleet that is second to none. Our adversaries make it clear every day that for us to do otherwise, would be folly which would ultimately be disastrous for our way of life.
So, as Christmas looms large, Newport News Shipbuilding has received a Christmas present second to none and both the City of Newport News and surrounding locales supporting the workforce, and America in general, will also receive peace of mind as well in a world filled with violence and hate. Back home in Newport News, all of those who remember or graduated from the no longer operational Newport News High School can surely join in singing the words of an old fight song from that glorious school, "Newport's Gonna' Shine." Indeed, she will and she'll continue to live by the motto of the early shipyard which was simple but true: "We will build good ships, at a profit if we can but at a loss if we must, but always good ships." And this old Newport News born and bred fellow is proud to call Newport News HOME.
A major change took place last January with the award of two new aircraft carrier contracts, the new Enterprise CVN80 and a yet unnamed CVN81. Two vessels, with a combined dollar value approximately twenty-four billion in value were awarded, resulting in a cost savings to the Navy of what is expected to be four billion dollars. Newport News worked close with the Navy using economies of scale to make this possible and as the only shipyard outfitted for construction from scratch, this will allow for a stable work environment for a large number of workers for the next dozen years as they complete one, then the other using common design documents requiring only modest modifications along the way. They follow on the heels of the christening of the new John F. Kennedy, CVN 79, a new Ford-class aircraft carrier on December 7, 2019, with the two new ones being in the same advanced class. But wait, there's more.
Just last week, Newport News Ship was awarded a huge portion of a new submarine contract as the principal sub-contractor of a contract let to Electric Boat. The now Huntington-Ingalls Newport News facility will be principally responsible for construction of five of nine new Virginia-class submarines designed to ensure America's mastery of undersea warfare requirements in the years to come. Both shipyards win by working together for a share of the largest submarine contract in Naval history, some twenty-two billion dollars while the Navy wins by both getting a much better savings than expected and insuring that American shipyards are fully engaged, avoiding the danger of losing workers and facility expertise through lack of use. And whether or not any Americans like military expenditures or not, if we Americans want to remain free, we must stay technologically advanced with a fleet that is second to none. Our adversaries make it clear every day that for us to do otherwise, would be folly which would ultimately be disastrous for our way of life.
So, as Christmas looms large, Newport News Shipbuilding has received a Christmas present second to none and both the City of Newport News and surrounding locales supporting the workforce, and America in general, will also receive peace of mind as well in a world filled with violence and hate. Back home in Newport News, all of those who remember or graduated from the no longer operational Newport News High School can surely join in singing the words of an old fight song from that glorious school, "Newport's Gonna' Shine." Indeed, she will and she'll continue to live by the motto of the early shipyard which was simple but true: "We will build good ships, at a profit if we can but at a loss if we must, but always good ships." And this old Newport News born and bred fellow is proud to call Newport News HOME.
Arti'st's conceptual picture of the to be constructed new USS Enterprise, CVN80, planned for completion and christening in 2028 from Newport News Shipbuilding. Indeed, a "mean machine."
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