PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, which dates back to 1767, on Wednesday took an enormous step toward the future.
Ground was broken on a $300 million modernization of Drydock 8 and adjacent berths, which date back to 1942.
The improvements are needed so the drydock can accommodate Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, which, according to the Navy's website, are four feet wider and displace 3,000 tons more than their Nimitz-class predecessors.
"This is an incredibly wise investment, long overdue," said Admiral Daryl Caudle, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. "One of the most limiting factors in getting ships out in time is drydock capacity."
The Government Accountability Office found in 2020 that 75% of planned maintenance periods for aircraft carriers and submarines at the nation's four publicly-owned naval shipyards were completed late.
"We've got to keep these ships afloat so they can do the mission," said U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. "It's a dangerous world that we have out there. We have adversaries that are watching and they're watching our capabilities."
Also weighing in was Captain Dianna Wolfson, Commanding Officer of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. "This is absolutely a must. I consider these drydocks national treasures. And we are investing in these national treasures," she said.
The drydock update is part of the Navy's overall 20-year, $21 billion Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program.
The Drydock 8 project is not the shipyard's only ongoing upgrade. In 2020, the Navy began a $200 million renovation of Drydock 4, which will be used to repair Ohio and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.
That improvement will be completed later this year.