HII breaks ground for new JMAF
The Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries broke ground for its new Joint Manufacturing Assembly Facility (JMAF) on 22 June.
The JMAF will support submarine and aircraft carrier construction and is set to open in 2017. The first phases of the facility will have production bays to facilitate the shipyard in completing its current contracts for the Virginia-class submarine and Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carrier.
Once complete, the JMAF will have multiple worksites, heavyweight cranes, automated equipment, specialty paint bays and large transportation doors. It will support existing and future production work on submarines and aircraft carriers.
Matt Mulherin, president, Newport News Shipbuilding, said: 'We aren’t just breaking ground on a new facility, we’re breaking the mould on how we build aircraft carriers and submarines. The improvements will increase productivity and efficiency, all while driving down overall cost and ensuring schedule performance.'
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