At Sea-Air-Space 2026, HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding President Reinforces Support for Expanding U.S. Shipbuilding Capacity

HII (NYSE: HII) at Sea-Air-Space 2026 emphasized expanding U.S. shipbuilding capacity and workforce development.

Rhea-AI Summary

HII (NYSE: HII) at Sea-Air-Space 2026 emphasized expanding U.S. shipbuilding capacity and workforce development. On April 21, 2026, Kari Wilkinson, president of Newport News Shipbuilding, discussed distributed shipbuilding, advanced technology deployment, and partnering with suppliers nationwide to meet generational demand.

HII showcased its role as America’s largest military shipbuilder and a leader in autonomous maritime systems and mission-enabling technologies.

Argus Apr 22 session

-3.00% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – HII

On Apr 22, the first trading day after this news, HII closed 3.00% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Apr 22 session.

Key Figures

Sea-Air-Space Expo year: 2026

Sea-Air-Space Expo year

2026

Year of U.S. Navy League Sea-Air-Space Exposition mentioned in the article

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 20

5 events

1. Apr 20

   Automation initiative

   24h Move

   -0.7%

   Launch of HYPR program using robotics and AI to accelerate ship production.

2. Apr 20

   Industrial expansion

   24h Move

   -0.7%

   Expansion of distributed shipbuilding to add jobs and boost throughput and outsourcing.

3. Apr 20

   Product milestone

   24h Move

   -0.7%

   25th anniversary of REMUS UUV family with 750+ deliveries across 30+ nations.

4. Apr 17

   Strategy framework

   24h Move

   -0.3%

   Introduction of distributed maritime operations framework supporting U.S. Navy Hedge Strategy.

5. Apr 16

   Conference preview

   24h Move

   -0.5%

   Plan to showcase shipbuilding, unmanned systems, and tech at Sea-Air-Space 2026.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

distributed shipbuilding, autonomous maritime systems, mission-enabling technologies

3 terms

distributed shipbuilding technical

"increasing the share of shipbuilding work it distributes to partner companies across the country through distributed shipbuilding."

Distributed shipbuilding is a construction approach where different parts or modules of a vessel are built at multiple shipyards or supplier sites and later brought together for final assembly. For investors, it matters because spreading production can lower capital needs, speed delivery, and tap specialized suppliers, but it also raises coordination, quality and transport risks that can affect costs, timelines and profit margins — like assembling a car from components made at factories around the world.

autonomous maritime systems technical

"a global leader in autonomous maritime systems, along with expertise in mission-enabling technologies."

Unmanned vessels, drones, and linked sensors that operate at sea using onboard software, sensors, and remote supervision—think of self‑driving cars for ships and offshore equipment. They matter to investors because they can cut operating costs, create new service and logistics markets, and boost efficiency, while also introducing regulatory, safety and cybersecurity risks that can affect revenue, capital needs and valuation.

mission-enabling technologies technical

"a global leader in autonomous maritime systems, along with expertise in mission-enabling technologies."

Mission-enabling technologies are the tools, systems or processes that directly allow an organization to perform its core goals—think of them as the engine and navigation for a ship. For investors, these technologies matter because they determine whether a company can deliver promised products or services, gain an advantage over competitors, and sustain future revenue; strong, hard-to-replicate capabilities can signal lower operational risk and higher long-term value.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the U.S. Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2026 today, Kari Wilkinson, HII (NYSE: HII) executive vice president and president of Newport News Shipbuilding, highlighted the company’s commitment to strengthen and expand the U.S. maritime industrial base.

Wilkinson served as a panelist for a discussion on advancing strategic requirements with a resilient shipbuilding enterprise. The shipbuilding panel examined the broad initiatives shaping the maritime industrial base and how policy, budgeting, and long term planning can sustain the nation’s maritime dominance. Chris Miller, the U.S. Navy’s portfolio acquisition executive for maritime (PAE Maritime), moderated the discussion.

During the panel, Wilkinson highlighted how HII is growing and retaining the workforce needed to meet a generational demand for its products, is deploying advanced technology solutions, and is increasing the share of shipbuilding work it distributes to partner companies across the country through distributed shipbuilding.

A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://www.hii.com/newsroom.

“Distributed shipbuilding is the way to get more done more effectively and absolutely directly invest in our American manufacturing industrial base,” Wilkinson said. “The work becomes easier when there are many doing it. The things that many can learn how to do or already know how to do, those are the things that are ripe for moving out of the shipyard and into the hands of people well qualified. We have shipbuilders all over the nation and we need them, especially as it relates to the mission at hand.”

Throughout the Sea-Air-Space Expo 2026, HII is showcasing its role as America’s largest military shipbuilder and a global leader in autonomous maritime systems, along with expertise in mission-enabling technologies.

About HII

HII is America’s largest shipbuilder, delivering the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain mission technologies, including unmanned systems, to U.S. and allied defense customers. HII is the largest producer of unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy and the world.

With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII builds and integrates defense capabilities extending from the core fleet to C6ISR, AI/ML, EW and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:

• HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/
• HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII
• HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII
• HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII
• HII on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearehii
  

Contact:

Todd Corillo
Todd.T.Corillo@hii-co.com
(757) 688-3220

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ddf6a0f9-bc81-4e0d-8b9f-45e0fe968f73

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did HII announce about distributed shipbuilding at Sea-Air-Space 2026 (HII)?

Distributed shipbuilding will broaden work distribution and boost national capacity. According to HII, it shifts tasks from main yards to qualified partners across the U.S., helping scale production and retain skilled workers to meet long-term naval demand.

How is HII (HII) addressing workforce needs discussed at Sea-Air-Space 2026?

HII is growing and retaining the workforce needed for generational demand. According to HII, the company is investing in training, hiring, and retaining shipbuilders nationwide to support sustained production and distributed shipbuilding efforts.

What technologies did HII highlight at Sea-Air-Space Expo 2026 about HII’s capabilities?

HII highlighted advanced technology solutions and autonomous maritime systems. According to HII, these technologies aim to enhance shipbuilding efficiency and support mission-enabling capabilities across naval platforms and partner integrations.

Who participated in the HII panel on shipbuilding capacity at Sea-Air-Space 2026?

Kari Wilkinson served as a panelist and Chris Miller moderated the discussion. According to HII, the panel focused on policy, budgeting, and long-term planning to sustain the maritime industrial base.

What role did HII say it plays in U.S. maritime industrial base at Sea-Air-Space 2026?

HII positioned itself as America’s largest military shipbuilder and a global leader in autonomous systems. According to HII, the company is leveraging scale, partners, and technology to strengthen national shipbuilding capacity.