HII sinking about $2B into shipyards

Huntington Ingalls Industries, the only builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, is investing $1.8B in its two shipyards on the East and Gulf coasts through 2020 to help grow the Navy’s targeted-growth of 355 ships. HII’s monetary influx includes digital technologies to streamline traditional heavy labor, such as welding steel and cable installation. The HII-Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard builds destroyers, amphibious ships, and the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutter, the firm's proposed plan for the Navy’s future frigate program. Although HII wasn’t specific, some $850M of its investment is likely going to Newport News and $950M to Ingalls. It’s original 2016-20 plan called for $1.5B equally distributed, according to CFO Chris Kastner explained, but another $300M was announced this year that would split it up 33-67 percent in favor of the Gulf Coast shipyard. HII has also invested in replacing paper plans with digital ones; tablets make it easier for workers to cross-reference detailed instructions and technical data. HII also has an early-in-the-works project with augmented-reality goggles that would be able to superimpose digital plans on the wearer’s view, letting workers see exactly where the next part goes. The yards are also exploring automated welding, but other crafts - electrical, pipefitting, pipe-welding, painting, riggers - may be harder to automate, he said, and will “still require some human touch,” Kastner said. (Source: Breaking Defense 04/04/18)