Navy leaders identified an aircraft carrier and two submarines affected by faulty weld issues at the Newport News Shipyard in Virginia. The impacted ships include the aircraft carrier George Washington, and the attack submarines Hyman G. Rickover and New Jersey. The issue involved welders not following procedures properly, but the welds were assessed not to affect ship safety or operations.
HII, the company that owns Newport News Shipbuilding, acknowledged that some welders circumvented welding procedures. The Department of Justice is investigating the matter, and Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro promised to cooperate with the probe. Congressional leaders are pushing for more answers on the scope of the problem.
The Newport News yard is one of two in the U.S. focused on the nuclear fleet and constructs parts for submarine classes and Ford-class aircraft carriers. While the timeframe of the faulty welds has not been disclosed, George Washington left the yard in May 2023.
Del Toro promised a full review of operations at the shipyard to prevent welding problems in the future. The carrier George Washington is currently underway to its new home port in Japan, while the submarines Hyman G. Rickover and New Jersey were commissioned in October 2023 and September 2024, respectively.