HII Hosts Australian Delegation at Newport News Shipbuilding

Rhea-AI Summary

HII (NYSE: HII) hosted an Australian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at Newport News Shipbuilding on Dec. 11, 2025 in support of the AUKUS partnership.

Delegates toured Virginia-class submarine facilities, observed the keel laying for Barb (SSN 804), met company leaders, and reviewed workforce development and sustainment capabilities. HII noted its role in the AUKUS Workforce Alliance, its Mission Technologies Global Security collaboration with Australia, and that it was awarded the AUSSQ pilot program contract to accelerate Australian supplier qualification; several Australian firms have received RFQs from Newport News Shipbuilding.

Market Reality Check

$326.92 Last Close

Volume Volume 392,920 is slightly above the 20-day average of 378,682 (relative volume 1.04x). normal

Technical Price at 323.14 is above the 200-day MA of 253.56 and about 2.08% below the 52-week high of 329.9999.

Peers on Argus 1 Up

Peer moves were mixed: DRS (+0.56%), KTOS (+1.2%), WWD (+1.06%), while ERJ (-0.54%) and AVAV (-7.19%) lagged. Momentum scanner flagged only RKLB (+10.26%), suggesting HII’s move was more stock-specific than broad sector rotation.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 09	Submarine milestone	Positive	-0.3%	Keel laying ceremony marking formal start of Barb (SSN 804) construction.
Dec 09	Strategic partnership	Positive	-0.3%	Expanded Babcock partnership to build complex assemblies for Virginia-class Block VI.
Dec 08	Product debut	Positive	+3.7%	Launch and showcasing of GRIMM spectrum dominance solution at AOC 2025.
Dec 04	Academic partnership	Positive	+2.1%	Mission Technologies joins University of Maryland engineering Corporate Partners Program.
Dec 04	Media advisory	Neutral	+2.1%	Notice of upcoming Barb (SSN 804) keel laying event and media logistics.

Pattern Detected

Recent defense and partnership announcements often saw positive price reactions, though some Virginia-class shipbuilding headlines drew mild negative divergence.

Recent Company History

Over the past week, HII news centered on Virginia-class submarine activity and defense technology partnerships. On Dec. 9, the keel laying of Barb (SSN 804) and an expanded partnership with Babcock for Block VI construction coincided with a modest -0.29% move. Earlier, the GRIMM spectrum dominance debut on Dec. 8 and a University of Maryland engineering partnership on Dec. 4 aligned with gains of 3.71% and 2.15%. Today’s AUKUS-focused visit extends this theme of submarine and allied-collaboration news.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlighted HII’s strategic role in the AUKUS partnership, emphasizing its Virginia-class submarine capabilities, workforce development, and efforts to qualify Australian suppliers via programs like AUSSQ and RFQs. Recent history shows a stream of submarine and defense-technology milestones, including the Barb (SSN 804) keel laying and new partnerships. Investors may watch how such international collaboration and supply-chain integration themes evolve across future announcements.

Key Terms

aukus regulatory

"The visit was held in support of the trilateral Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS) partnership."

AUKUS is a security partnership between three countries focused on sharing advanced defense technology, joint military capabilities and deeper industrial cooperation. For investors it matters because such agreements can reshape government spending priorities, create new supply-chain and export opportunities for defense and tech firms, and influence regional trade and geopolitical risk — like a major construction project that redirects where governments invest and which companies get the contracts.

nuclear-powered submarines technical

"to provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines and a broader partnership"

Nuclear-powered submarines are naval vessels that use on-board nuclear reactors for propulsion and electricity, allowing them to operate underwater for months without refueling. For investors they matter because they drive long-term government defense spending, create demand for specialized suppliers and maintenance contracts, and concentrate technological and regulatory risk—similar to owning stakes in companies that build and service highly complex, long-lived industrial machinery.

virginia-class technical

"construction of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, the mid-life overhaul of USS John C."

A Virginia-class is a type of modern U.S. Navy fast-attack submarine powered by nuclear reactors, built for stealthy intelligence gathering, surveillance, and offensive missions. For investors, it matters because building and maintaining these complex vessels drives long-term government contracts, supply-chain demand, and technology development for defense contractors — similar to how a flagship product can anchor a company’s revenue and future sales pipeline.

requests for quotation (rfq) financial

"Several Australian companies have already received Requests for Quotation (RFQ) from NNS for parts"

A request for quotation (RFQ) is a buyer’s formal ask to one or more sellers or market makers for a firm price to buy or sell a specific quantity of a security. It matters to investors because RFQs help reveal the best available price and liquidity—like checking several shops for the lowest price before making a big purchase—so investors can make cost-aware decisions and reduce the risk of paying too much or being unable to trade.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) hosted an Australian delegation led by Richard Marles MP, deputy prime minister and minister for defence, at its Newport News Shipbuilding division Tuesday.

The visit was held in support of the trilateral Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS) partnership. HII continues its commitment to supporting AUKUS, which set in motion tasking across all three countries to determine the optimal pathway to provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines and a broader partnership on advanced capabilities.

“It was fantastic to see the U.S. submarine industrial base on display at Newport News Shipbuilding, including the keel laying ceremony of Barb (SSN 804),” Marles said. “The Australian Government is pleased to be working with HII, including through the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) program to identify and qualify Australian businesses into the U.S. supply chain.”

Members of the delegation met with company leadership, saw facilities that support construction of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, the mid-life overhaul of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), and learned about HII’s workforce development expertise. Additionally, they attended the keel laying ceremony for Virginia-class submarine Barb (SSN 804), which was already scheduled Tuesday at NNS.

Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://hii.com/news/hii-hosts-australian-delegation-at-newport-news-shipbuilding/.

“We are honored Deputy Prime Minister Marles and the Australian delegation could see how our longstanding nuclear experience at NNS directly supports the AUKUS mission,” said Eric Chewning, HII’s executive vice president of maritime systems and corporate strategy. “Industrial integration of submarine and shipbuilding capabilities between the U.S., U.K. and Australia is a critical component of the AUKUS partnership, enabling aligned defense production, workforce development, and supply chain collaboration to support shared security objectives.”

NNS designs and builds nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy. HII’s Mission Technologies Global Security team is working with the Australian Government to bring HII’s nuclear-powered submarine sustainment expertise, supply chain management experience, and long-standing workforce development programs to Australia.

HII is a founding member of the AUKUS Workforce Alliance (AWA), a partnership focused on preparing a skilled workforce to support every stage of Australia’s path to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines. The company was also awarded a contract for the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) pilot program, which aims to speed up the identification and qualification of Australian suppliers and products for the United States submarine industrial base. Several Australian companies have already received Requests for Quotation (RFQ) from NNS for parts for nuclear shipbuilding programs. 

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII’s mission is to deliver the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML 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
  
  

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/a2bd17b0-2ab3-4805-9905-b17c717554c8

FAQ

What did HII (HII) announce about the Australian delegation visit on December 11, 2025?

HII hosted an Australian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at Newport News Shipbuilding to support AUKUS collaboration and viewed the keel laying for Barb (SSN 804).

How is HII (HII) involved in Australia’s submarine efforts under AUKUS?

HII is working with Australia through Mission Technologies Global Security, is a founding member of the AUKUS Workforce Alliance, and won the AUSSQ pilot program contract.

What did delegates see at Newport News Shipbuilding during HII’s December 11, 2025 visit?

Delegates toured Virginia-class submarine construction facilities, saw USS John C. Stennis overhaul work, and attended the keel laying for Barb (SSN 804).

What is the purpose of the AUSSQ pilot program awarded to HII (HII)?

The Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) pilot aims to speed identification and qualification of Australian suppliers and products for the U.S. submarine industrial base.

Did any Australian companies receive requests from Newport News Shipbuilding after HII’s AUSSQ work?

Yes; several Australian companies have received Requests for Quotation (RFQ) from Newport News Shipbuilding for nuclear shipbuilding parts.

Where can investors find photos or more information about HII’s December 11, 2025 delegation visit?

HII published photos and details on its news page linked from the company website and investor materials.