BAE Systems has invested more than $260 million in its facilities over the past six years to increase support to the maritime industrial base. Through these investments, the company is ensuring it has the strong manufacturing capability and capacity to build submarine structures, and support surface ship maintenance for the U.S. Navy and its maritime partners.
BAE Systems has upgraded its welding, machining, and heavy-lift capacity across its Louisville, Kentucky manufacturing site and Jacksonville, Florida shipyard to further support building submarines. Between these two facilities, the company has over 200,000 square feet of dedicated space to take on new submarine construction, as well as personnel ready to contribute to submarine construction.
Over the last six years, BAE Systems’ Louisville facility has invested more than $60 million to support maritime industrial base construction. These investments include:
- Advanced machining centers.
- Upgraded heavy-lift cranes.
- Test and assembly capabilities.
- Enhanced weld equipment.
- Overarching facility upgrades.
- Welder training and onsite school facilities.
In Jacksonville, the company has invested over $200 million into its shipyard. The investments include:
- A modern ship-lift, land-level repair facility.
- Employee training.
- Welding training center and on-site school facilities.
- Manufacturing training.
- Submarine fabrication upgrades.
BAE Systems’ Louisville site manufactures several different major structures for the U.S. Navy and its major shipbuilders. The Louisville workforce builds the Virginia Payload Module missile tubes and propulsor for the Virginia-class submarine. The site also builds the Bearing Support Structure for the Columbia-class submarine, a major structure that attaches the Columbia-class propulsor to the submarine.
Last year, the company’s Jacksonville shipyard began fabricating deck structures for the Columbia-class submarine program. In addition to the shiplift and land level repair facility that will soon be operational, BAE Systems has invested in developing its skilled workforce and reorganizing its facility to take on submarine construction work.