Naval Nuclear Propulsion

Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based RSI Services is the winner of a potential five-year, $22-million small business contract to remediate Naval Reactors sites overseen by the semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration in West Milton, N.Y. The set-aside cleanup contract for the Kesselring Site was announced Tuesday by the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management. Under the […]

The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management said Dec. 21 that it has transferred the Separations Process Research Unit in New York from the nuclear cleanup office to the DOE Office of Naval Reactors as of Dec. 16. The DOE announced the transfer of the Separations Process Research Unit (SPRU) areas from the Office […]

In what could be a boon to submarine subcontractors and the broader nuclear-naval industry, the Navy is looking at buying components for Columbia-class submarines, especially boats that will follow the two already under contract, a little earlier, the head of naval reactors said this week. “We’re looking at what we can do to further de-risk Columbia deliveries, especially […]

The Navy is happy to share knowledge about weapons with the Air Force, so long as it does not actually have to share a nuclear weapon with the Air Force, the sea service’s director for strategic systems programs said this week. “I think a couple years ago, commonality started to put us on a path […]

The Navy is happy to share knowledge about weapons with the Air Force, so long as it does not actually have to share a nuclear weapon with the Air Force, the sea service’s director for strategic systems programs said Tuesday. “I think a couple years ago, commonality started to put us on a path where […]

In what could be a boon to submarine subcontractors and the broader nuclear-naval industry, the Navy is looking at buying components for Columbia-class submarines, especially boats that will follow the two already under contract, a little earlier, the head of naval reactors said Monday. “We’re looking at what we can do to further de-risk Columbia […]

The Navy this week awarded General Dynamics’ Electric Boat a $9.47 billion contract modification on Thursday for full construction of the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN-826) and continuing advanced construction for the second vessel. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition James Geurts told reporters Thursday on a conference call that […]

The White House’s request to Congress for exemptions to be included in a likely stopgap spending measure covers procurement of two Columbia-class submarines and development of the W93 submarine-launched nuclear warhead, according to documents. The list of “anomalies” for a continuing resolution arrives as the administration and congressional leadership have agreed on a tentative deal […]

The Navy’s top acquisition official, James Geurts, told reporters last week if there is a continuing resolution (CR) before the next budget is finalized, the service would need an anomaly to keep the Columbia ballistic missile submarine program on schedule. It has become a near-certainty that Congress will need at least one stopgap measure to […]

By Cal Biesecker Defense Daily Huntington Ingalls Industries on Thursday posted a steep drop in second-quarter earnings, mainly on charges at its shipyards due to efficiency and staffing challenges, at least some of which stem from COVID-19, and the company lowered its top and bottom line guidance for the year. On a conference call with […]

Insulated from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic by its large government contracts and a bread-and-butter nuclear Navy business, BWX Technologies this week posted a modest uptick in both profit and revenue for the second quarter of 2020. Quarterly net income rose $5 million to about $64 million, or $0.67 per share, from about $59 […]

By Cal Biesecker Defense Daily Huntington Ingalls Industries on Thursday posted a steep drop in second-quarter earnings, mainly on charges at its shipyards due to efficiency and staffing challenges, at least some of which stem from COVID-19, and the company lowered its top and bottom line guidance for the year. On a conference call with […]

Insulated from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic by its large government contracts and a bread-and-butter nuclear Navy business that didn’t shut down in the spring, BWX Technologies posted a modest uptick in both profit and revenue for the second quarter of 2020. Quarterly net income rose $5 million to about $64 million, or $0.67 […]

General Dynamics on Wednesday posted lower earnings and sales in its second quarter on continued weakness in its Aerospace segment and an overall decline in its government and defense businesses due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Net income fell 23% to $625 million, $2.18 earnings per share (EPS), from $806 million ($2.77 EPS), three […]

Huntington Ingalls Industries said Tuesday its operations for the Department of Energy would not be affected by the newly announced merging of two business groups. The corporate parent of Newport News Shipbuilding is combining two business lines within its Technical Solutions division: The previous Fleet Support and Mission Driven Innovative Solutions (MDIS) groups are becoming […]

Huntington Ingalls Industries said Tuesday its operations for the Department of Energy would not be affected by the newly announced merging of two business groups. The corporate parent of Newport News Shipbuilding is combining two business lines within its Technical Solutions division: The previous Fleet Support and Mission Driven Innovative Solutions (MDIS) groups are becoming […]

Huntington Ingalls Industries said Tuesday its operations for the Department of Energy would not be affected by the newly announced merging of two business groups. The corporate parent of Newport News Shipbuilding is combining two business lines within its Technical Solutions division: The previous Fleet Support and Mission Driven Innovative Solutions (MDIS) groups are becoming […]

The Navy portion of the House Armed Services Committee’s draft of the fiscal 2021 defense authorization bill approved last week would add two vessels over the Senate version and argued a second attack submarine is needed to maintain the schedule for Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines. The final HASC markup recommends authorizing the first Columbia-class ballistic […]

The Navy portion of the House Armed Services Committee’s draft of the fiscal 2021 defense authorization bill approved Tuesday would add two vessels over the Senate version and argued a second attack submarine is needed to maintain the Columbia-class schedule. The final HASC markup recommends authorizing the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, two Arleigh Burke-class DDG-51 destroyers, one […]

The Navy on Monday awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat an $869 million modification for continued Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) procurement work, with an added price option for the first two submarines that would increase the total contract value to $9.5 billion. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition James Geurts told reporters during a […]

Nuclear industry journeyman John Meyers has been hired to run point on TechSource’s business with the Department of Energy and its semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration. The Los Alamos, N.M., company in May hired Meyers as vice president for federal nuclear programs, making him the “principal officer for all National Nuclear Security Administration and Department of Energy […]

Nuclear industry journeyman John Meyers has been hired to run point on TechSource’s business with the Department of Energy and its semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration. The Los Alamos, N.M., company in May hired Meyers as vice president for federal nuclear programs, making him the “principal officer for all National Nuclear Security Administration and Department of […]

The Navy on June 9 awarded APTIM Federal Services LLC a $129 million contract for the dismantlement and disposal of the Surface Ship Support Barge (SSSB). The SSSB is a “radiologically controlled” dockside refueling facility built from a converted Navy tanker used to disassemble spent nuclear fuel for shipment within a water pool. The Navy […]

The latest issue of the annual Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment of major defense acquisition programs outlined remaining risks to the design and on-time production of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). In its Defense Acquisition Annual Assessment, published June 3, the GAO noted while the Navy reports the nuclear reactor technology as mature since […]

The latest issue of the annual Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment of major defense acquisition programs outlined remaining risks to the design and on-time production of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). In its Defense Acquisition Annual Assessment, published June 3, the GAO noted while the Navy reports the nuclear reactor technology as mature since 2018, “several […]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, vendors to Columbia-class prime General Dynamics Electric Boat might be a few months late delivering missile tubes for the next-generation ballistic missile submarine, the Navy’s program executive officer said Monday. “[T]hat did hit us hard on the missile tubes, to the extent of probably a couple months delay in the […]

The Senate confirmed Kenneth Braithwaite as the next secretary of the Navy via voice vote last week. Braithwaite, previously served as U.S. ambassador to Norway and succeeds acting Secretary Thomas Modly, who resigned in April amid criticism of his removal of the commander of the aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt, Capt. Brett Crozier. Army Undersecretary James […]

The Senate confirmed Kenneth Braithwaite as the next secretary of the Navy via voice vote on May 21. Braithwaite, who previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Norway, succeeds acting Secretary Thomas Modly, who resigned in April amid criticism of his removal of the commander of the aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt, Capt. Brett Crozier. Army Undersecretary […]

Nuclear Fuel Services has not tracked any new cases of COVID-19 among its workforce since an outbreak in mid-April sickened multiple employees at its Erwin, Tenn., uranium-processing plant, a spokesperson said Thursday morning. The BWX Technologies subsidiary “has had no new cases of COVID-19 among our employees,” the spokesperson said by email. “Those affected are […]

Nuclear Fuel Services has not tracked any new cases of COVID-19 among its workforce since an outbreak in mid-April sickened multiple people at its Erwin, Tenn., uranium-processing plant, a spokesperson said Thursday morning. The BWX Technologies subsidiary “has had no new cases of COVID-19 among our employees,” the spokesperson said by email. “Those affected are […]