Photo Release — Huntington Ingalls Industries Breaks Ground on Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence

Rhea-AI Summary

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has officially broken ground on a new Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence in Hampton, Virginia. The facility, spanning over 150,000 square feet across two buildings, will focus on unmanned systems prototyping, production, and testing. This investment responds to the U.S. Navy's growing demand for unmanned underwater and surface vehicles. The project is anticipated to create over 250 jobs and is expected to be completed by late 2021. HII aims to enhance its capabilities to meet evolving customer needs in autonomous systems.

Positive

• New Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence will strengthen HII's capabilities in unmanned systems.
• Investment responding to increased U.S. Navy demand for UUVs and USVs.
• Over 250 new jobs expected to be created, enhancing local economy.

Negative

• Potential risks associated with reliance on government contracts and shifting defense spending priorities.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Sept. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) announced today that it broke ground on a new Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence in Hampton. Two buildings totaling over 150,000 square feet will be constructed on the 20-acre campus and will be purpose-built for unmanned systems prototyping, production and testing.

“With U.S. Navy’s increasing demand for UUVs and USVs, we are committed to investing in and expanding our unmanned systems capabilities,” said Andy Green, HII executive vice president and president of Technical Solutions. “Our new Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence will ensure we can continue to provide our customers with the most advanced autonomous systems across all class sizes.”

The HII Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence, located on the Hampton Roads Center – North Campus, will be a state-of-the-art facility with a high-tech digital manufacturing infrastructure. This agile space will be reconfigurable for different production and systems integration projects and have precision machining capabilities, a surface finishing area and a dedicated welding space.

Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/unmanned-systems-center-of-excellence.

“Virginia is proud to be home to the largest military shipbuilder in the country,” said Gov. Ralph Northam. “Huntington Ingalls Industries is a national leader in advanced manufacturing, and this investment is a powerful testament to Virginia’s workers and business environment. The company’s new unmanned systems facility in Hampton will support America’s national security and play a key role in strengthening our economic recovery as we continue working to rebound from this health crisis.”

HII partnered with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the city of Hampton and the Hampton Roads Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. More than 250 jobs will be created and will enable collaboration with HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division, which has advanced undersea system engineering capabilities.

“The new campus complements our current facilities in Massachusetts, Florida and Washington that have been delivering marine robotics to the Navy for nearly 20 years,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of Technical Solutions’ Unmanned Systems business group. “In order to manufacture and support large and extra-large UUVs, the size of the manufacturing operation needs to increase significantly. This new facility will give us the space and infrastructure we need to scale our operations to meet the needs of our customers now and into the future.”

The groundbreaking ceremony was also attended by Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball; Hampton Mayor Donnie R. Tuck; Hampton Economic Development Director Chuck Rigney Sr., and Rob Brown, president of Robert Brown & Associates.

The first 22,000-square-foot building will be completed by the end of this year. The main 135,000 square-foot-facility is planned to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, and nuclear and environmental services. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 42,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit:

• HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com
• HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries
• HII on Twitter: twitter.com/hiindustries
• HII on YouTube: www.youtube.com/huntingtoningalls
• HII on Instagram: www.instagram.com/huntingtoningalls
  

Statements in this release, as well as other statements we may make from time to time, other than statements of historical fact, constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these statements. Factors that may cause such differences include: changes in government and customer priorities and requirements (including government budgetary constraints, shifts in defense spending, and changes in customer short-range and long-range plans); our ability to estimate our future contract costs and perform our contracts effectively; changes in procurement processes and government regulations and our ability to comply with such requirements; our ability to deliver our products and services at an affordable life cycle cost and compete within our markets; natural and environmental disasters and political instability; our ability to execute our strategic plan, including with respect to share repurchases, dividends, capital expenditures, and strategic acquisitions; adverse economic conditions in the United States and globally; changes in key estimates and assumptions regarding our pension and retiree health care costs; security threats, including cyber security threats, and related disruptions; and other risk factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. There may be other risks and uncertainties that we are unable to predict at this time or that we currently do not expect to have a material adverse effect on our business, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements that we may make.

Beci Brenton
Beci.Brenton@hii-co.com
(202) 264-7143

FAQ

What is the significance of HII's new Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence?

The new center aims to enhance HII's capabilities in unmanned systems, addressing the U.S. Navy's increasing demand for unmanned vehicles.

When is the HII Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence expected to be completed?

The first building is expected to be completed by the end of 2020, and the main facility by the fourth quarter of 2021.

How many jobs will the new HII facility create?

The new facility is expected to create over 250 jobs.

Where is HII's Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence located?

The center is located on the Hampton Roads Center – North Campus in Hampton, Virginia.

What types of projects will be carried out at HII's new facility?

The facility will focus on unmanned systems prototyping, production, and testing.