NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shipbuilder and all-domain technologies provider HII (NYSE: HII) hosted United Kingdom Minister of State (Indo-Pacific) Anne-Marie Trevelyan at its Newport News Shipbuilding division today.
The visit was held in support of the trilateral Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS) partnership. HII continues its commitment to supporting AUKUS, which set in motion tasking across all three countries to determine the optimal pathway to provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines and a broader partnership on advanced capabilities.
Trevelyan met with HII and NNS leadership and saw facilities that support construction of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. Additionally, she participated in a tour of the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School that focused on HII’s workforce development expertise.
“It was an honor to meet with Minister Trevelyan today and to share with her the breadth of experience and leadership HII brings to AUKUS,” said Michael Lempke, who leads HII’s Australia business in support of AUKUS. “Showing her the role HII plays in constructing submarines and discussing the integration and expansion of industrial capacity across the U.S., U.K. and Australia is important to advancing our partnership.”
Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-nns-united-kingdom-visit-workforce-development-2024/.
“The U.K., U.S. and Australia believe in a free and open Indo-Pacific and, by combining our national strengths and resources through AUKUS, we are helping to support security and stability in the region,” Trevelyan said. “The U.K., and our world-class defence industry, are working with our U.S. and Australian counterparts to deliver cutting-edge AUKUS hardware and technology. It has been a pleasure to make this informative visit to HII and to see first-hand how AUKUS is delivering economic growth, building skills and creating jobs in key industrial sectors.”
Paul Tennant, a former British Army officer and now HII’s vice president of engagement and international government relations, also accompanied Trevelyan during the NNS visit.
Having worked with the minister briefly when she held a defense role, Tennant said, “It is a real privilege to host a British Minister so soon in my tenure. HII’s enthusiasm for the visit is in itself an affirmation of the AUKUS initiative’s growing momentum and HII’s support of it, and as such is both timely and impactful. I am extremely proud of the superb relationship the U.K. and U.S. have – especially in defense and security – and I look forward to contributing to HII’s international initiatives and partnerships with these countries to enhance global security.”
NNS is one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy. HII is the founding member of the AUKUS Workforce Alliance (AWA), a dedicated partnership committed to preparing a skilled workforce in support of all steps of Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines.
About HII
HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII’s mission is to deliver the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.
As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:
Contact:
Todd Corillo
[email protected]
(757) 688-3220
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be3660ff-d4ab-463d-9caf-9a513d1f3aa2
