CVN80 will be the third Fordclass carrier named for the first ship of the series the USS Gerald R Ford CVN78 and named to recognize the US Navys first nuclearpowered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise CVN 65 which was deactivated in 2012

DoD Awards $152M to HHI for Advance Planning on USS Enterprise

May 25, 2016

Huntington Ingalls Industries has a $152-million contract to proceed with advance planning for constructing the U.S. Navy’s new aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80). Construction would start in 2018 and the carrier would be commissioned in 2027.

Robert Brooks

Defense contractor Huntington Ingalls Industries (IW500/160) has a new $152-million U.S. Department of Defense contract to proceed with advance planning for construction of U.S. Navy’s new aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 80). This will be third aircraft carrier in the Gerald R. Ford class, named to recognize the U.S. Navy’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN 65), which was deactivated in 2012.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilder, operating two major naval shipyards at Newport News, Va., and Pascagoula, Miss.

HHI also conducts engineering and manufacturing and provides management services to nuclear energy and oil-and-gas markets.

The Ford-class carriers (named for the first ship of the series, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), launched in 2013 and due to be commissioned later this year) carriers are similar in size to the preceding Nimitz-class vessels, but incorporate more advanced aeronautic and weapons technologies (e.g., the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System), and other design changes intended to improve operating efficiency and lower operating costs, including reduced crew requirements. The carriers are powered by two A1B nuclear reactors developed for use by the U.S. Navy to provide electricity and propulsion to the vessels.

The shipbuilder reported that the new contract would cover programs that include engineering, design, planning and procurement for long-lead-time material, and will be carried out at Newport News Shipbuilding through March 2018.

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About the Author

Robert Brooks | Content Director

Robert Brooks has been a business-to-business reporter, writer, editor, and columnist for more than 20 years, specializing in the primary metal and basic manufacturing industries. His work has covered a wide range of topics, including process technology, resource development, material selection, product design, workforce development, and industrial market strategies, among others. Currently, he specializes in subjects related to metal component and product design, development, and manufacturing — including castings, forgings, machined parts, and fabrications.

Brooks is a graduate of Kenyon College (B.A. English, Political Science) and Emory University (M.A. English.)