Naval Nuclear Propulsion

By Richard Abott Defense Daily Lawmakers are strongly opposing the Navy’s plans to fund eight new ships in fiscal 2021, including only one Virginia-class submarine, a decrease from 12 in the current fiscal 2020. When the fiscal 2021 budget request was first released on Monday, asking for eight ships at $20 billion, House Armed Services seapower and […]

Lawmakers are strongly opposing the Navy’s plans to fund eight new ships in fiscal 2021, including only one Virginia-class submarine, a decrease from 12 in the current fiscal 2020. When the fiscal 21 budget request was first released on Monday, asking for eight ships at $20 billion, House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee Chairman […]

The Trump administration’s fiscal 2021 budget request adds only eight battle force ships, two fewer than previously planned, while also planning to retire four Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs). The Navy is requesting $207.1 billion overall, $2.9 billion less than in the current fiscal 2020. Ship procurement is set at $20 billion, down from the $24 […]

The Donald Trump administration plans to pay for a larger civilian nuclear weapons budget in fiscal 2021 by requesting funding for only a single Virginia-class attack submarine next year, rather than a pair, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. The outlet is the first to confirm rumors that circulated in Washington in January that President Donald Trump’s […]

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) held a groundbreaking on Jan. 23 to renovate Dry Dock 4. The U.S. Navy said the renovation effort will cost $200 million and take almost three years. This makes it the largest NNSY initiative under the larger $21 billion 20-year Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP). The Navy said this renovation will […]

The USS Tennessee ballistic-missile submarine went on an Atlantic Ocean patrol in December, armed with “one or two” of the brand new W76-2 low-yield warheads, the Washington-based Federation of American Scientists reported Wednesday. “We estimate that one or two of the 20 missiles on the USS Tennessee and subsequent subs will be armed with the W76-2, either singly […]

The USS Tennessee ballistic-missile submarine went on an Atlantic Ocean patrol in December, armed with “one or two” of the brand new W76-2 low-yield warheads, the Washington-based Federation of American Scientists reported Wednesday. “We estimate that one or two of the 20 missiles on the USS Tennessee and subsequent subs will be armed with the W76-2, […]

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) held a groundbreaking on Jan. 23 to renovate Dry Dock 4. The U.S. Navy said the renovation effort will cost $200 million and take almost three years. This makes it the largest NNSY initiative under the larger $21 billion 20-year Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP). The Navy said this renovation will […]

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said Monday it has appointed Brandi Smith as program director for the U.S. Navy’s Columbia-class submarine program at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. There was no incumbent Columbia program director at HII, according to a Tuesday email from a spokesperson for the shipbuilding subcontractor for the Navy’s next nuclear-armed ballistic-missile […]

The U.S. Navy still has margin to burn on the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, despite some of that programmatic breathing room getting burned after BWX Technologies incorrectly welded a dozen tubes for the Common Missile Compartments intended for that vessel and Virginia-class attack subs, a senior Navy officer said. “They do have margin to […]

BWX Technologies has tapped Dave Broussard, a former contractor at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory, to be general manager of the company’s nuclear-naval parts factory in Barberton, Ohio. Broussard will take over the 750-person manufacturing site as it prepares to hire 80 more people and spend $80 million to ramp up production of […]

By Richard Abott Defense Daily The U.S. Navy awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat $22.2 billion to build nine Block V Virginia-class attack submarines, with an option for a 10th, the Navy’s top acquisition official said this week. It is the “largest shipbuilding contract the Navy has ever awarded,” James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy […]

BWX Technologies has tapped Dave Broussard, a former contractor at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory, to be general manager of the company’s nuclear-naval parts factory in Barberton, Ohio. Broussard will take over the 750-person manufacturing site as it prepares to hire 80 more people and spent $80 million to ramp up production of […]

A Bechtel subsidiary on Nov. 15 received three contract modifications worth over $1.4 billion in total to supply parts for the federal Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. The U.S. Navy issued cost-plus-fixed-fee modifications for existing awards to Bechtel Plant Machinery, based in Monroeville, Pa. The modifications are respectively worth $913.5 million, $483.7 million, and $31.8 million. […]

The U.S. Energy Department has yet to actually issue its announced six-month extension for the incumbent support services vendor at the Hanford Site in Washington state. Last month, DOE’s Office of Environmental Management signaled it plans to keep Leidos-led Mission Support Alliance (MSA) on the job after its current extension expires Monday. That next extension […]

A Bechtel subsidiary on Nov. 15 received three contract modifications worth over $1.4 billion in total to supply parts for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. The U.S. Navy issued cost-plus-fixed-fee modifications to existing awards to Bechtel Plant Machinery, based in Monroeville, Pa. The modifications are respectively worth $913.5 million, $483.7 million, and $31.8 million. The […]

U.S. Air Force Gen. John Hyten will officially turn over command of U.S. Strategic Command to Navy Vice Adm. Charles Richard on Nov. 18. The change of command ceremony will take place following a dedication ceremony for STRATCOM’s new command and control facility at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., according to a press release. Hyten […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The head of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program had reassuring words for the nuclear shipbuilding industry and its suppliers here Thursday. “I … want you to know that contrary to what you might read or hear … submarine force leadership values our close, enduring relationships with our industry partners,” Adm. […]

By Calvin Biesecker Huntington Ingalls Industries on Thursday reported mixed results in its third quarter, with sales up on acquisitions and work in its nuclear shipyard while earnings fell due to lower operating income from its shipbuilding and a less favorable adjustment in pension income versus a year ago. Net income sank 33 percent to […]

In a rare public outing, Adm. James Caldwell, head of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, is scheduled to address an industry banquet on Thursday near Washington.  Caldwell, the dual-hatted admiral responsible for both the Navy and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) nuclear-reactor programs, is the scheduled featured speaker for the closing banquet of […]

By Richard Abott A top U.S. Navy official said the service is unlikely to reach above 310 ships at current funding levels, let alone the congressionally-mandated goal of 355 ships. “Will we get to 355 ships? I think with today’s fiscal situation and where the Navy’s topline is right now – we can keep around […]

A top U.S. Navy official said the service is unlikely to reach above 310 ships at current funding levels, let alone the congressionally-mandated goal of 355 ships. “Will we get to 355 ships? I think with today’s fiscal situation and where the Navy’s topline is right now – we can keep around 305 to 310 […]

An independent opinion that could help determine the outcome of a federal lawsuit claiming a Savannah River Site contractor overcharged the federal government by $5 million is still being decided after nearly three years, according to a status report recently filed in the case. The joint status report was submitted by the U.S. Department of Energy and […]

The Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday will hold its confirmation hearing for the Navy’s top submarine official to become the next leader of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM). Vice. Adm. Charles Richard assumed his current duties in August 2018 as commander of Submarine Forces, commander of Submarine Force Atlantic, and commander of Allied Submarine Command. In […]

BWX Technologies said Thursday it has received a contract to procure long-lead components for U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers, which including options is worth $806 million over seven years. In a press release, the Lynchburg, Va., company said the contract from the “U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program” has a one-year base period worth […]

BWX Technologies said Thursday it has received a contract to procure long-lead components for U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers, which including options is worth $806 million over seven years. In a press release, the Lynchburg, Va., company said the contract from the “U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program” has a one-year base period worth […]

The U.S. Navy has exercised a $1 billion option for fiscal 2020 for Fluor Marine Propulsion, a subsidiary of the troubled engineering giant that is selling off its government contracting business, to continue work on nuclear propulsion systems for U.S. warships and submarines. Fluor Marine Propulsion has managed the joint Department of Energy-Navy Naval Nuclear […]

The U.S. Navy has exercised a $1 billion option for fiscal 2020 for Fluor Marine Propulsion, a subsidiary of the troubled engineering giant that is selling off its government contracting business, to continue work on nuclear propulsion systems for U.S. warships and submarines. Fluor Marine Propulsion has managed the joint Department of Energy-Navy Naval Nuclear […]

General Dynamics Electric Boat broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot facility that will be dedicated to building the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. Called the South Yard Assembly Building (SYAB), it will be on 7 acres of the company’s property at its Groton, Conn., facility and is the largest company construction project in 45 years, GD […]

General Dynamics Electric Boat broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot facility on Sept. 13 that will be dedicated to building the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. Called the South Yard Assembly Building (SYAB), it will be on 7 acres of the company’s property at its Groton, Conn., facility and is the largest company construction project in […]