NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — All four members of the Hampton Roads Congressional delegation are pushing to protect the Navy's Gerald R. Ford Class of aircraft carriers, which are constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Reps. Rob Wittman (R, VA-01), Jen Kiggans (R, VA-02), Bobby Scott (D, VA-03), and Jennifer McClellan (D, VA-04) wrote that any delays in the build schedule for future Ford carriers would "be extremely disruptive to the shipbuilding industrial base and detrimental to national security."
The lawmakers go on to say, "As recent events have shown, our nation’s aircraft carrier fleet remains in constant demand, with more than 1/3 (4 of 11) of the nation’s aircraft carriers recently deployed worldwide to protect vital national interests."
"We urge the Department to remain on course with the procurement of CVN 82 in 2028 and strongly encourage consideration of the optimum acquisition strategy for Ford-class aircraft carriers delineated in the Navy’s report to the defense committees earlier this year," they conclude in the letter.
Newport News Shipbuilding is the region's largest industrial employer.