What is HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries)? What Does It Do? The Largest Shipyard and Supercarrier Manufacturer for the U.S. Navy
Image: HII press archive (Gerald R. Ford CVN-78)
US Navy’s Only Supercarrier Shipyard
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) holds a unique position in the US defense industry: the only shipyard company that produces all nuclear aircraft carriers and a significant portion of submarines for the US Navy. The company went public in 2011 after separating from Northrop Grumman; today it operates under three main business segments: Newport News Shipbuilding (Virginia, USA — nuclear submarines + supercarriers), Ingalls Shipbuilding (Mississippi — amphibious ships and destroyers), and Mission Technologies (unmanned maritime systems, C5ISR, defense IT).
As of 2024, it ranks 20th on the Defense News Top 100 list; its annual revenue exceeds $11.4 billion, with more than 44,000 employees. It is the birthplace of the Gerald R. Ford class CVNs in the active fleet of the US Navy, the last three generations of nuclear submarines, and the San Antonio class LPDs. HII’s Newport News facility is the only private sector facility in the world capable of producing nuclear aircraft carriers.
At a Glance
Company Structure and Position in the Defense Industry
HII’s shipyard in Mississippi, Ingalls Shipbuilding, opened in 1938; it produced destroyers and patrol boats during World War II. Newport News Shipbuilding, on the other hand, has been operational since 1886 and has been building CVNs for the Navy since the beginning of the U.S. nuclear program. The company, which went public as independent HII in 2011, established the Mission Technologies division by acquiring the defense technology company Alion for $1.65 billion in 2021.
HII’s position in the market is unique: it is unmatched in the U.S. for nuclear aircraft carriers and shares the nuclear submarine field with General Dynamics Electric Boat (particularly in a joint production model for the Virginia and Columbia classes). It also produces parallel line ships for the U.S. Navy in Arleigh Burke class destroyers with General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works. The production of San Antonio class LPDs and America class LHAs is entirely monopolized by HII.
In terms of the Turkish defense industry, HII is not a direct competitor; domestic players like ASFAT, Anadolu Shipyard, Sefine, and Istanbul Shipyard focus on different tonnages and roles in maritime platform production. However, ASFAT’s MİLGEM Ada class corvette and İstanbul class frigate projects, along with the export of 4 MİLGEMs to Pakistan, indicate a Turkish approach aimed at export, which is different from the U.S.-type shipyard model.
Featured Products Table
| Product Name | Product Type | Mission Area | Initial Introduction | Users | Export Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerald R. Ford CVN-78 class | Nuclear supercarrier | Force projection | 2017 entry into service | U.S. Navy | None (strategic restriction) |
| Nimitz CVN-68 class | Nuclear aircraft carrier | Force projection | 1975 entry into service | U.S. Navy (10 ships) | None |
| Virginia SSN-774 class | Nuclear attack submarine (Electric Boat partner) | Underwater combat | 2004 | U.S. Navy, Australia (AUKUS) | Export under AUKUS |
| Columbia SSBN class | Nuclear ballistic missile submarine (Electric Boat partner) | Strategic nuclear deterrence | 2031 (planned) | U.S. Navy | None |
| San Antonio LPD-17 class | Amphibious transport dock | Amphibious operations | 2006 | U.S. Navy (13 ships) | None |
| America LHA-6 class | Amphibious assault ship (auxiliary aircraft carrier) | Amphibious + F-35B carrier capability | 2014 | U.S. Navy | None |
| Arleigh Burke DDG-51 class | Aegis destroyer (parallel with GD-BIW) | Surface, anti-air, BMD | 1991 | U.S. Navy (70+ active) | None (licensed variants in Japan/South Korea) |
| Constellation FFG-62 class | Multi-role frigate (Fincantieri Marinette start + HII support) | Surface warfare, ASW | 2026 (planned) | U.S. Navy | None |
| Legend NSC class | Coast Guard (USCG) national security cutter | High-capacity coastal protection | 2008 | U.S. Coast Guard (11 ships) | None |
| Remus series UUV | Unmanned underwater vehicle (HII Mission Technologies) | Mine hunting, underwater mapping | 1990s – present | U.S. Navy, NATO countries | Export |
| Pharos / Lionfish | Next generation unmanned underwater system | Modular underwater mission system | 2024 contract | U.S. Navy (200 units) | New |
Detailed Descriptions of the Products
Gerald R. Ford Class CVN — The World’s Largest Warship
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, commissioned in 2017. It is equipped with a displacement of 100,000 tons, 12 megawatts of additional electrical power generation, a new EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System), AAG (Advanced Arresting Gear), and dual-band radar (AN/SPY-3 + Volume Search). It is built as a result of the long-term efforts of 14,000 personnel at HII Newport News; each ship has a budget of approximately $13 billion. The second ship of the class, USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), will be commissioned in 2025; CVN-80 Enterprise and CVN-81 Doris Miller are under construction.
Nimitz Class CVN — The Backbone of the U.S. Navy for 50 Years
The Nimitz class (10 ships, 1975-2009) is HII Newport News’s largest production series. All of these ships are nuclear reactor-powered and continue to be the main workforce of the U.S. Navy today; the first ships will be transferred to the Ford class starting in the 2030s. Maintenance and modernization contracts (RCOH – Refueling and Complex Overhaul) are a continuous source of revenue for HII; each RCOH costs around $4 billion.
Virginia Class SSN — The U.S. Navy’s New Attack Submarine
The Virginia (SSN-774) class is the U.S.’s next-generation attack submarine, jointly built by HII and General Dynamics Electric Boat. By 2025, 22 ships will be completed; there is a contract for 32 ships. The Block V variant has quadrupled Tomahawk capacity with the Virginia Payload Module. Under the AUKUS agreement, the supply of 3-5 Virginia SSNs to Australia will begin in the 2030s — this will be the first sale of a U.S. nuclear submarine to an ally.
Columbia Class SSBN — The Future of Strategic Deterrence
The Columbia class consists of 12 nuclear ballistic missile submarines that will replace the Ohio class. The first ship, USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), is planned to be commissioned in 2031. Each ship serves as the sea leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, carrying UGM-133A Trident II missiles. HII works as a supplier to Electric Boat in this program.
San Antonio LPD — Amphibious Strike Force
The San Antonio (LPD-17) class is the backbone of the amphibious transport needs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, consisting of 13 ships. It carries AAV and EFV amphibious vehicles, LCAC hovercraft, and 800 Marines. The Flight II variant is seen as a budget alternative for the LHA program.
America LHA — Amphibious Ship Carrying F-35B
The America (LHA-6) class differs from classic amphibious assault ships as it does not include a well deck; instead, it plays the role of a “light aircraft carrier” with an expanded hangar and F-35B operational capability. Five ships are planned. This concept has directly influenced Turkey’s TCG Anadolu (L-400) multipurpose amphibious assault ship: TCG Anadolu was also planned for the F-35B platform (later converted to UAV/Drone carrier).
Arleigh Burke DDG-51 — The World’s Most Productive Aegis Destroyer
Arleigh Burke class is the flagship Aegis destroyer of the US Navy; more than 70 ships have been built since 1991. It is produced using a parallel construction model between HII Ingalls and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The new Flight III variant offers enhanced ballistic missile defense with the AN/SPY-6 dual-band AESA radar. Japan’s Kongō / Atago / Maya class and South Korea’s Sejong the Great class destroyers are licensed derivatives of the Arleigh Burke.
Constellation FFG-62 — The US’s New Frigate
Constellation class is a new frigate program developed with Fincantieri Marinette Marine as the starting shipyard; it is based on the FREMM design. The first ship, whose contract was signed in 2020, is planned to be launched in 2026. HII shipyards will provide maintenance/life-cycle support.
Legend NSC — The US Coast Guard Flagship
Legend (Bertholf) class 11 national security cutters were built by Ingalls for the US Coast Guard. These long-range platforms, with a displacement of 4,500 tons, are used in border protection and narcotics enforcement operations integrated with NORAD.
Export and User Table
| Product | Key Feature | Similar Systems | Importance in Company Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerald R. Ford CVN | EMALS electromagnetic launch | Fujian (China), Queen Elizabeth (UK STOVL) | Flagship product, highest profitability |
| Nimitz CVN | World’s most dense class with 10 ships | Charles de Gaulle (France), Vikrant (India) | Continuous revenue with RCOH maintenance |
| Virginia SSN | Block V Payload Module | Astute (UK), Suffren/Barracuda (France), Yasen-M (Russia) | Export potential opened with AUKUS |
| Columbia SSBN | Infinite lifespan reactor | Dreadnought (UK), Borei (Russia), Type 094 (China) | Maritime leg of the strategic triad |
| San Antonio LPD | Stealth superstructure, AAV/LCAC integrated | San Giorgio (Italy), Dokdo (South Korea), TCG Bayraktar | Amphibious market leader |
| America LHA | F-35B carrier, no well deck | TCG Anadolu, Cavour (Italy), Izumo (Japan) | Amphibious platform of the F-35B era |
| Arleigh Burke DDG | Aegis + SPY-6 dual-band | Type 052D (China), Maya (Japan), MİLDEN | Stable contract flow |
| Constellation FFG | FREMM derivative modular design | Type 26 (UK), Mogami (Japan), İSTANBUL class | Auxiliary role |
| Legend NSC | National Coast Guard platform | River-class OPV (UK), Hamilton (former US) | USCG niche market |
| Remus / Lionfish UUV | Modular unmanned underwater system | METEKSAN Kulaç, STM Wattozz, Kongsberg HUGIN | Future growth area |
General Assessment of the Company’s Product Portfolio
HII’s portfolio directly matches the platform demand of the U.S. Navy; no private shipyard in the world comes close to HII’s industrial capacity in the field of high-tonnage military shipbuilding. Although the company’s main structural strength is its dependency on a single customer (the U.S. Navy), HII’s share of this customer’s annual budget of $250 billion is practically guaranteed.
HII’s weakness is its focus on strategic platforms (CVN, SSBN, LHA) that are banned from export. This means the company cannot compete in the international market with Turkish ASFAT, Spanish Navantia, Italian Fincantieri, or South Korean Hyundai Heavy Industries. The AUKUS submarine agreement opened a new export window for Virginia; however, in the medium term, U.S. shipyard capacity will primarily remain filled with domestic orders.
For the Turkish defense industry, HII’s interesting aspect is its conceptual impact on the TCG Anadolu and next-generation TCG Trakya/MUGEM projects. Instead of the America LHA model, TCG Anadolu is based on Juan Carlos I, but HII’s amphibious-to-aircraft carrier approach is a decisive reference point in Turkey’s future plans.
Notable Developments
- 2025 — CVN-79 USS John F. Kennedy: The 2nd ship of the Ford class enters service.
- 2024 — Pharos UUV contract: An order for 200 unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy.
- 2024 — Virginia SSN delay: Block V production delayed by 12-18 months due to supply chain issues; HII will invest an additional $1 billion.
- 2023 — AUKUS Virginia sale: The supply of 3-5 Virginia SSNs to Australia has been officially approved.
- 2025 — Newport News shipyard modernization: A $1.7 billion investment for Columbia SSBN.
References
- HII Annual Report 2024
- SIPRI Top 100 Arms-Producing Companies (2024)
- U.S. Navy Long-Range Shipbuilding Plan FY2025
- Defense News Top 100 (2024)
- Janes Fighting Ships (HII platforms)
- Envanter Medya — Virginia-class submarine
- Envanter Medya — AN/SPY-6 (Arleigh Burke Flight III radar)
- Envanter Medya — Type 055 Renhai (Arleigh Burke Chinese competitor)
This content is part of Envanter Medya’s Defense News Top 100 company profile series.
