Project for Shipyard will cost $3.08b

Northrop Grumman Newport News will build four components of the Navy's new ship, the Daily Press reported Workers at Northrop Grumman's Newport News shipyard will help build a new class of Navy ship beginning this year, following an endorsement by the Navy of a work-sharing agreement between Newport News and the company's Pascagoula, Miss.-based Ship Systems. The shipyard will produce four components of the LHA-6, the Navy's new generation of amphibious ships, the service confirmed Thursday. The collaboration marks the first tangible sign of Northrop Grumman's merger of two shipyard sectors into one unit.

The LHA-6 is a smaller, non-nuclear powered version of an aircraft carrier. At a cost to the U.S. Navy of $3.08 billion, the 844-foot vessel can hold up to 34 aircraft and more than 3,000 troops. Of 64 compartments assembled separately, the four units Newport News will produce comprise the forward 45 percent of the ship structure. Within this "forebody" are compartments such as cargo holds, eating and sleeping spaces, storerooms, tanks and offices. A majority of the vessel's assembly will still take place at Northrop Grumman's Gulf Coast shipyards. Ship Systems remains the primary contractor on the project. Part of the reason for shifting a portion of the project is to even out workloads between the Newport News and Gulf Coast yards. Since Hurricane Katrina, Northrop Grumman's two primary Gulf Coast shipyards have been overwhelmed with rebuilding and modernizing facilities while attempting to rehire and retain its yard workers displaced by the storm. Source: Daily Press