PASCAGOULA, Miss., July  10, 2024  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) hosted Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Nickolas Guertin at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division today.

While at Ingalls, Secretary Guertin met with shipbuilders, leadership and received an update on ships under construction and modernization during his tour of the shipyard.

"Visiting Ingalls Shipbuilding today is a powerful reminder of the dedicated craftsmanship and unwavering commitment that our industry partners provide in sustaining our naval forces. I am excited to see these ships join the fleet and become an integral part of the Navy during this decisive decade."

During the visit, Guertin received a firsthand look at the ships currently under construction and had the opportunity to tour guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128) and amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8).

"We stand diligently behind our armed forces and are committed to providing these platforms in support of global peace and prosperity," Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. "Today's visit allows us to demonstrate the extraordinarily hard work our shipbuilders complete every day in order to enable missions around the globe."

For nearly 85 years, Ingalls Shipbuilding has designed, built and maintained amphibious ships, destroyers and cutters for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. As the largest supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants, Ingalls is simultaneously building four classes of ships and has pioneered the development and production of technologically advanced, highly capable ships for the surface Navy fleet for decades.