Jen Kiggans

Rep. Kiggans highlights the "East Coast maritime industrial base" (Hampton Roads) and the critical need to reduce "acquisition and contracting delays that are slowing ship repair and construction." Colby agrees on the urgency. Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is the sole builder of US aircraft carriers and a dominant player in Virginia's shipbuilding complex. With the USS Gerald Ford extended on deployment and the fleet under stress from Middle East operations, maintenance and new construction cycles must accelerate, funneling capital to the only player capable of doing the work. LONG. Monopoly asset in a sector identified as a critical bottleneck during wartime. Labor shortages in skilled trades (welders/machinists) limiting revenue recognition.