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The Daily Insight

What ships are being built at Newport News?

Author

Emma Johnson

Updated on April 30, 2026

The shipyard is building the aircraft carriers USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) and USS Enterprise (CVN-80).

How many employees does Newport News Shipbuilding have?

We are the largest industrial employer in Virginia, employing more than 25,000 people, many of whom are third- and fourth-generation shipbuilders.

What is the biggest shipyard in the US?

Newport News Shipbuilding, (formerly Northrop Grumman Newport News) is the largest private ship builder in the US and the one best known for its unique capacity to build the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.

Where is CVN 80 being built?

Newport News Shipbuilding
CVN-80 is being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia.

Can you tour Newport News Shipbuilding?

Do you have a tour? Newport News Shipbuilding is located at 4101 Washington Ave., Newport News, VA 23607. Due to security restrictions, tours of the shipyard are not available. Ships can be viewed from Victory Landing Park, along the waterfront in downtown Newport News.

What is dry dock for a ship?

Definition: Dry docking is a term used for repairs or when a ship is taken to the service yard. During dry docking, the whole ship is brought to a dry land so that the submerged portions of the hull can be cleaned or inspected.

What ships are in the drydocks at Newport News?

Visible in the drydocks are USS Long Beach and USNS Gilliland Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, is the largest industrial employer in Virginia, and sole designer, builder and refueler of United States Navy aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy submarines.

What company builds ships in Newport News Va?

Newport News Shipbuilding. Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, is the largest industrial employer in Virginia, and sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy submarines.

When was the first drydock built?

The drydock was opened April 29, 1889, and the maritime press hailed it as the “ wonder of the age. ” The first shipbuilding job was a reconstruction project, but the contract for Hull No. 1, the tug Dorothy, was signed in 1890.

What is the history of the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company?

It founded the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, an emergency yard on the banks of the Cape Fear River and launched its first Liberty ship before the end of 1941, building 243 ships in all, including 186 Libertys. For its contributions during the war, the Navy awarded the company its “E” pennant for excellence in shipbuilding.