Who Builds America's Aircraft Carriers And Where Are They Made?

The U.S. military is known to have one of the most impressive, if not the mightiest, naval fleets in the world. Among its most well-known vessels are the aircraft carriers, like the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), which, thanks to their imposing sizes, range of weaponry, and ability to act as mobile runways, serve as the flagships of the fleet. At the time of this writing, the U.S has a total of 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in active service, all of which were built by Huntington Ingalls Industries, currently known as HII Corporate.

HII Corporate is currently the largest shipbuilding company in America, with roots that stretch to the late 1800s. A significant part of what became the company started in Newport News, Virginia, in 1886 as the Chesapeake Dry Dock and Construction Company (later known as Newport News Shipbuilding). The second part, Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, was established in 1938 in Mississippi. While these two branches are heavily involved in building U.S. Navy vessels, the first branch is responsible for constructing all the nuclear-powered carriers in the U.S. military, with all operations conducted at its shipyard in Newport News.

Many companies build hardware for the U.S. military. From Lockheed Martin, heavily involved in aircraft like the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, to General Motors' GM Defense, which has been making land vehicles for the military since 1914. For the military's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier needs, there's HII Corporate. 

The company's Newport News Shipbuilding division not only constructs aircraft carriers but also ensures they are properly maintained and fueled while in operation to serve the nation. Throughout its history of designing, developing, and supporting ships, the division has worked on over 800 vessels, which should more than demonstrate its proficiency in shipbuilding. 

Today, it is responsible for constructing the Gerald R. Ford-class vessels. It is also the only entity capable of carrying out refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of aircraft carriers, which involves system repairs, modernization, and refueling the ship's reactors. RCOH only happens once in a carrier's 50-year life.

All of the division's aircraft carriers are built at its shipyard in Newport News, Virginia. The site is fully equipped to handle the complex systems needed to create, stabilize, and install the many features found in these powerful ships, such as their nuclear reactors. The shipyard also designs and builds some of the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered submarines. As per the company's website, the Newport shipyard has over 25,000 employees, which, when coupled with the company's 75 years of aircraft carrier designing and building experience, explains why its aircraft carriers are among the best in the world.  

Today, the Newport News Shipbuilding's shipyard covers 550 acres along two miles of waterfront on the James River. The space is divided between piers, docks, and most importantly, the division's manufacturing facilities. The shipyard is also home to the Apprentice School. Here, students can focus on tuition-free apprenticeships and can pursue academic degrees such as a bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering.