HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES HOSTS REP. MARIO DIAZ-BALART AT NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) today hosted Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., for a familiarization tour of the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.

The congressman’s visit included a tour of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), progress updates on the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and Virginia-class submarine programs, and a demonstration of the Rapid Operational Virtual Reality tool, Newport News’ central depository for design information that allows for on-site planning, design, engineering, construction and material forecasting during carrier construction.

“I was impressed today with what I saw,” Diaz-Balart said. “The pride that Newport News shipbuilders take in their work and the attention to quality is second to none, which is exactly what our military men and women deserve. The world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place, and it’s vital our nation has the best platforms, including aircraft carriers and submarines, to meet these challenges. I was equally impressed with everything Newport News Shipbuilding is doing to build the Navy’s carriers and submarines as cost-effectively as possible, without sacrificing the quality that our sailors’ lives depend on.”

In his seventh term in the House of Representatives, Diaz-Balart is a member of the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on the Budget. He also serves as chairman of the Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and on the Appropriations’ Defense and State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs subcommittees.

Newport News Shipbuilding President Matt Mulherin accompanied Diaz-Balart on the tour. “As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, it is crucial that Congressman Diaz-Balart have the opportunity to see what he’s paying for,” Mulherin said. “Shipbuilding is a complex industry, and experiencing the shipyard goes a long way toward a greater understanding. The congressman’s visit underscores his commitment to our business and the importance he places on national security.”

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (middle) meets with (from left to right) Matt Needy, Newport News’ Virginia-class submarine (VCS) program director, and Bob Meyer, Newport News’ VCS construction director, to see submarine construction in the shipyard’s Supplemental Module Outfitting Facility. Photo by Chris Oxley/HII