HII targets 15% shipyard throughput increase in 2026
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is setting its sights on a 15% boost in shipyard throughput for the year 2026, following a 14% growth in the previous year. The company, known as America’s largest shipbuilder, is striving to expedite the delivery of warships to the U.S. Navy. Currently, HII has around 40 ships undergoing construction or modernization at its Ingalls and Newport News shipyards.
Strategic Plans to Accelerate Shipbuilding
Eric Chewning, the Executive Vice President of Maritime Systems and Corporate Strategy at HII, disclosed the strategic blueprint during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense field hearing at the College of the Canyons. Chewning, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy, emphasized that achieving higher output would hinge on workforce development, enhanced infrastructure, and a more extensive maritime supply chain.
“In 2025, the throughput in our shipyards surged by 14% year-over-year,” Chewning stated. “We are aiming for a 15% year-over-year increase in throughput in 2026.” The core of the plan revolves around recruiting, educating, and retaining skilled workers, along with investing in shipyard technology such as the utilization of physical artificial intelligence in production processes. HII also intends to broaden its supplier network and implement distributed shipbuilding to delegate more tasks beyond its primary facilities.
Expansion Initiatives and Collaborative Efforts
The company anticipates outsourcing over two million work hours in 2026, marking a significant 178% surge from 2024. This approach is expected to elevate throughput, bolster employment nationwide, and instill confidence in small and medium-sized suppliers to expand their capabilities and workforce.
Moreover, HII has finalized new collective bargaining agreements offering competitive wage hikes to retain its proficient workforce, with backing from Congress and the Navy. These workforce enhancements are positioned as a fundamental aspect of the company’s endeavor to sustain heightened production rates.
Chewning highlighted Newport News Shipbuilding’s Charleston Operations as a model for amplifying the maritime industrial base. Through collaboration with the Navy, South Carolina, and the Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Policy Office, the underutilized facility has been transformed into an advanced manufacturing hub supporting submarine construction and skilled-trade opportunities.
“This serves as a compelling illustration of what can be accomplished when industry, the federal government, and state partners unite to fortify America’s maritime supremacy,” Chewning affirmed. “We express gratitude to the U.S. Navy, Congress, and specifically the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for their unwavering support and eagerly anticipate our continued cooperation to ensure America’s maritime dominance for the future.”
HII, with a workforce of approximately 45,000 individuals, caters to U.S. and allied customers by delivering ships, unmanned systems, and various defense technologies. The company’s portfolio encompasses command-and-control systems, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, electronic warfare, artificial intelligence, and synthetic training.
