Political Debate Emerges Over Naming of Future Carrier Amid Construction

A significant dispute has arisen regarding the designation of a United States Navy aircraft carrier currently under construction. Civil rights organization the NAACP has publicly criticized reported proposals to rename the vessel, which was originally slated to honor World War II hero Doris Miller, in favor of former President Donald Trump. The ship in question is the second Gerald R. Ford-class carrier being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries.

The USS Doris Miller (CVN 81) is currently in production at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. The vessel was named to honor Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller, who displayed valor during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The construction of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is a multi-year process involving thousands of workers and representing a substantial portion of the Navy’s shipbuilding budget.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is the sole builder of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one of the largest military shipbuilders in the country. The company operates through its Ingalls Shipbuilding and Newport News Shipbuilding divisions, alongside its Mission Technologies segment. As the primary contractor for the Ford-class program, Huntington Ingalls is responsible for the design and integration of advanced propulsion and combat systems into these capital assets.

From a market perspective, Huntington Ingalls continues to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker HII. The firm holds a market capitalization of approximately $12.28 billion. Shares of the industrial firm recently closed at $298.20, reflecting a decline of 0.93% from the previous session’s close of $301.00.

It is important to note that the naming of naval vessels is ultimately a decision made by the Secretary of the Navy, subject to the approval of Congress, rather than the shipbuilding contractors themselves. While Huntington Ingalls builds the ships to the Navy’s specifications, the company does not determine the nomenclature assigned to the hulls.

What to watch

• Official announcements from the Department of the Navy regarding the final naming of CVN 81.
• Upcoming contract milestones or progress reports on the Gerald R. Ford-class carrier program.
• Huntington Ingalls Industries’ next quarterly earnings release and updated guidance.

Source: original release