HII Shipyards Build Future of Marine Corps Global Response

PASCAGOULA, MS – February 03, 2026 – Amid the sprawling industrial landscape of Ingalls Shipbuilding, U.S. Marine Corps Assistant Commandant Gen. Bradford Gering recently surveyed the future of American amphibious warfare. The high-level visit underscored the critical, long-standing partnership between the military and HII (NYSE: HII), the nation's largest shipbuilder, as it forges the vessels designed to project power and maintain stability across the globe.

The tour, which included stops at the America-class amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8) and the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Harrisburg (LPD 30), offered a firsthand look at the platforms central to the Marine Corps’ evolving strategy. These are not merely ships; they are floating sovereign territories, mobile airfields, and logistical hubs that enable the U.S. to respond to crises anywhere in the world.

“We are honored to host Marine Corps leadership and showcase the critical role our Ingalls shipbuilders play in delivering the amphibious ships that support Navy and Marine Corps missions worldwide,” said Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president. “The amphibious ship program remains a top priority for our team, and we value the opportunity to demonstrate the skill and dedication our shipbuilders bring to every ship we build.”

The Strategic Imperative: Amphibious Ships for a New Era

The importance of the vessels under construction at Ingalls cannot be overstated in the context of modern military doctrine. The U.S. Marine Corps is in the midst of a significant transformation under its Force Design 2030 initiative, a plan to create a lighter, more agile, and more technologically advanced force capable of countering near-peer adversaries in contested maritime environments, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

Central to this strategy is the concept of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), which involves deploying small, mobile, and difficult-to-target units to remote islands or coastlines. These units can conduct reconnaissance, provide targeting data for long-range fires, and help establish sea control. This distributed operational model is entirely dependent on a robust and versatile amphibious fleet.

Large-deck amphibious assault ships like the LHA-class serve as the centerpiece of this capability. They are essentially small aircraft carriers, capable of deploying F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters, helicopters, and tiltrotor aircraft, while also providing extensive command-and-control facilities and hospital-grade medical centers. The LPD-class ships, meanwhile, are the workhorses, designed to transport and land Marines, their vehicles, and supplies via landing craft and helicopters. Together, they form an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) that can deploy a full Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

Gen. Gering highlighted this versatility during his visit. “The Navy and Marine Corps team relies on these ships for a broad range of missions from peacekeeping and deterrence to combat operations and humanitarian assistance,” Gering said. “Programs like the LHA and LPD are vital to enabling Marine Corps readiness and ensuring our ability to respond quickly to emerging challenges.”

An Economic and Industrial Anchor

Beyond its strategic military importance, the work at Ingalls Shipbuilding represents a powerful economic engine for the Gulf Coast and a critical component of the national defense industrial base. As Mississippi’s largest manufacturing employer, Ingalls provides thousands of stable, high-skilled jobs in trades, engineering, and program management. HII's total workforce numbers over 44,000, with its shipbuilding operations creating a ripple effect that supports an extensive national supply chain.

The financial stability underpinning this industrial might is substantial. HII consistently maintains a massive contract backlog, which recently stood at approximately $49.4 billion. This backlog, which includes over $27 billion in already funded work, provides long-term visibility and stability for the company, its employees, and the hundreds of suppliers across the country that provide everything from steel plates to advanced sensor systems. While the company, like the rest of the industry, has navigated post-pandemic labor and supply chain headwinds affecting margins and cash flow, its record revenues of $11.5 billion in 2023 demonstrate its core strength and enduring demand for its products.

This sustained investment in naval shipbuilding fuels regional economic growth through wages, local purchasing, and tax revenues that support public services. It also ensures the preservation of a unique national skill set—the ability to construct the most complex warships in the world—a capability that cannot be easily or quickly reconstituted if lost.

A Pipeline of Power and Partnership

The depth of the partnership between HII and the naval services is evident in the sheer volume of work underway and planned at the Pascagoula yard. Ingalls currently has five amphibious warships in various stages of construction. In addition to Bougainville (LHA 8) and Harrisburg (LPD 30), the yard is building Fallujah (LHA 9), Pittsburgh (LPD 31), and Philadelphia (LPD 32).

This production line is set to continue for years to come. In a major vote of confidence, the Navy awarded Ingalls a significant multi-ship contract in September 2024 for the construction of three more San Antonio-class ships: LPD 33, LPD 34, and LPD 35. The same contract action included funding for the fifth America-class LHA, which will be named Helmand Province (LHA 10). These awards not only reinforce Ingalls' position as the premier builder of amphibious vessels but also provide the predictability needed to invest in facilities, hire and train the next generation of shipbuilders, and achieve production efficiencies.

This continuous production is the physical manifestation of a collaborative relationship built over decades. The process of designing and building these ships involves constant feedback between the shipbuilder, the Navy, and the Marine Corps to ensure the final product meets the evolving demands of warfare. It is a synergy of industrial capacity and operational expertise that ensures American sea power remains unmatched.

Navigating the Complexities of Modern Shipbuilding

The path from a contract award to a fully operational warship joining the fleet is an undertaking of immense complexity, fraught with inherent challenges. The construction of a modern amphibious ship involves integrating millions of components from a global supply chain, managing thousands of workers, and mastering cutting-edge technology. Industry-wide issues, including skilled labor shortages, inflationary pressures, and supply chain disruptions exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have impacted schedules and costs across defense manufacturing.

Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports frequently highlight the difficulties in managing these large-scale acquisition programs, and HII has been transparent about its efforts to improve productivity and mitigate these challenges. The company is focused on operational improvements and is working closely with the Navy to navigate the complexities of contracts signed before the recent period of economic instability.

Despite these headwinds, the production lines at Ingalls continue to deliver. The successful delivery of the amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) in 2024 stands as a testament to the shipyard's resilience and commitment. The visit from Gen. Gering and his fellow officers serves as a powerful reminder of the ultimate purpose behind the complex, challenging, and vital work performed at Ingalls: equipping the nation’s forward-deployed guardians with the tools they need to defend American interests at sea and ashore.