"This major capital improvement project is another step in our continuing efforts to bring our shipyard to its fullest potential of productivity and efficiency for our customers," said Ingalls President Pat Keene. "This investment will provide improved facilities and equipment and open avenues for new and varied construction programs, better working conditions and improved productivity for the 21^st century; and shows the confidence that Ingalls, Litton Ship Systems and all of Litton Industries have in the future of our shipyard and our employees, and our role in building the ships of the new century."

In addition to adding efficiency and productivity to the sophisticated U.S. Navy ships Ingalls has specialized in over the years, the shipyard expects to build a greater variety of products in the future, including cruise ships, as well as other commercial ships.

Currently, $72 million of the planned two-year project is being invested to put "under roof" another 477,000 square feet of working area which is now uncovered. This new, covered area will include major assembly, outfitting and clean-and-paint facilities. In addition to adding the new gantry crane, new equipment will include a pair of 400-ton assembly transporters. Also, an expansion of the drydock, used to launch and recover ships, has been underway since last year.

All projects for this year are under contract, projecting to completion dates this summer. The total expansion, however, will extend over a two-year period, with a total investment of $130 million.

"This major, two-year capital program positions us for meeting shipbuilding challenges of the new century," said Jerry St. Pé, Chief Operating Officer of Litton Ship Systems, and Executive Vice President of Litton Industries. "The total expansion program gives us the ability to build more and varied products, making us even more competitive for the business development opportunities our Company is pursuing."

Ingalls’ Operations Vice President, Paul Robinson, said the expansion provides the diversification necessary to build bigger, better, faster and more economically. "Enclosing significantly more of our open work areas will improve working conditions, ensuring year-round production, unaffected by weather."

The drydock expansion consisting of a fifth section added to the existing facility, will increase the capacity by 25 percent for launch and recovery of larger, longer U.S. Navy and commercial vessels, or offshore rigs. The drydock addition is being fabricated by Ingalls’ craftsmen.

Components for the new 600-ton capacity crane are being readied in several European countries for assembly by Konecranes Inc., of Hyvinkaa, Finland. Delivery will start in October with assembly to start soon after. The crane is to be in operation in March of 2001.

East-west tracks are being added, across Bays 3, 4 and 5 and extended to the west property line to accommodate the new crane. An additional crane track, to accommodate Ingalls’ existing large cranes, is under construction in the center of the three most westerly building bays. "This will provide an additional ship integration area so that two large ships can be built side by side," Robinson said.

"All of these improvements, from the drydock expansion to the additional cranes and facilities, are to support our crafts and the production process," Robinson said. "Everything is designed for flexibility and integration with future needs."

When the rails are set in place to carry one of the largest gantry cranes in the world, they will have a firm foundation. Construction calls for 850 pilings to anchor the concrete foundation on which the rails will be attached.

The rails will carry the new 600-ton capacity crane, which will be 329 feet at its maximum height, and 411 feet from rail to rail. The giant crane will pass over Ingalls’ existing cranes which have a capacity of 300 tons. "The new crane will span more that the width of two Navy LHDs side-by-side, and is 329 feet high," said Bill Feidt, Director of Plant Engineering. "You’ll be able to see the crane from the Alabama line."

The crane will enable the shipyard to assemble sections of ships three times larger than previously possible, and better utilize dock space, enhancing efficiency for every ship built. Resembling a giant sawhorse, the crane will employ 96 wheels to travel down a delineated runway. The crane will have two trollies and dual self-controlled diesel power plants. An elevator running up one leg of the crane provides access to machinery, controls and operator’s cabin.

The first of the 52 largest pilings (96 feet in length, 18 inches square, weighing 16 tons) were sunk in late January, with almost 800 additional 30-foot pilings to follow. Jordan Pile Driving of Mobile, a subcontractor, drives the pilings with a diesel pile driving hammer, which has 83,880-foot pounds of thrust for the 24,000-pound hammer and ram.

The rail installation is to be completed this summer.

CSA OUTFITTING HALL, 192,000 square feet, located east of the Shell Shop (480 X 400 feet) -- Like the existing Covered Slab Area, the assemblies will be built inverted in one of 14 new, succeeding positions. They will be outfitted and moved to the next step.

CSA II (STACKING HALL), 143,000 square feet, east of the existing Covered Slab Area (880 by 162 feet and 104 feet high) -- From the Outfit Hall, the one deck level units will move to this building and be turned ship-shape and stacked three decks high for outfitting work.

CLEAN AND PAINT HALL, 49,000 square feet, south of the Land Based Test Facility (203 x 240 feet) -- The units will be moved to this building for cleaning and painting prior to being transported to the integration are and being erected as part of the ship.

400-TON TRANSPORTERS (can be combined to transport one 800-ton unit) -- These transporters will move the assemblies throughout the shipyard. Currently, the transporters are limited to 100 tons.

600-TON GANTRY -- The crane will be capable of passing over two complete LHD or cruise ship size ships, and will be located in the Southwest area of the shipyard. It will be 329 feet high and 411 feet wide.