Even half a world away, Virginia looms large in shipbuilding

"During February’s Senate recess, I traveled to Australia for meetings about our countries’ longstanding security partnership. On that trip, I saw firsthand evidence that even half a world away, Virginia is the gold standard for shipbuilding — which is something the commonwealth should be proud of and we all should work to preserve.

Australia is one-third of the AUKUS agreement, a pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to collaborate militarily to deter aggression and ensure a free and secure Indo-Pacific amid increasingly aggressive moves by Beijing. It’s the latest, but by no means the first, instance of close collaboration between the U.S. and Australia: Our soldiers fought side-by-side in both world wars, and our countries have been treaty allies for 75 years.

A major part of the AUKUS agreement is Australia’s commitment to buy as many as five Virginia-class submarines from the United States — subs built in large part in Newport News.

Virginia’s shipbuilding prowess is the stuff of legend. Newport News Shipbuilding is one of only two companies that build submarines for the U.S. Navy and the only company that builds America’s aircraft carriers. Our shipbuilding industry employs tens of thousands of Virginians, boosting the economy in Hampton Roads and throughout the commonwealth."