Arthur McMiler 
- HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding won a $5.1 billion contract to refuel and overhaul USS Harry S. Truman
- If the Navy exercises its options, the contract’s total value could rise to about $5.18 billion
- Truman will be the eighth Nimitz-class carrier to get the midlife overhaul at the Virginia shipyard
HII‘s Newport News Shipbuilding division, or NNS, has received a $5.1 billion contract for the refueling and complex overhaul, or RCOH, of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, CVN 75. The Virginia-based shipbuilder announced Tuesday that exercised options would raise the contract’s cumulative value to about $5.18 billion.
What Does the USS Harry S. Truman RCOH Involve?
The midlife overhaul accounts for close to one-third of the maintenance and modernization a carrier receives over its service life. For CVN 75, the work includes refueling the reactors and modernizing thousands of tanks and compartments, along with most onboard systems. Crews will also make major upgrades to the vessel’s combat systems and propulsion plant.
Bryan Caccavale, NNS vice president of program management, said the shipyard team has worked to move preparations ahead of schedule. The work will gear up Truman for the remainder of its service life.
“When the ship arrives at NNS, we’ll apply that same diligence to working with our suppliers and Navy partners to ensure a successful recapitalization of CVN 75,” Caccavale said.
How Has HII Prepared for the Truman Overhaul?
HII won the original Truman RCOH contract in January 2024. The contract was worth $913 million at award and has since grown to $970 million. Its completion date was also extended from June 2026 to July 31, 2029. In August 2025, Naval Sea Systems Command, or NAVSEA, issued a $276.1 million modification for advance planning and the purchase of long-lead materials. That work is set to finish in September 2026.
Which Nimitz-Class Carriers Has NNS Overhauled?
Truman was built at the Newport News shipyard. It was christened in 1996 and entered Navy service in 1998. It will become the eighth Nimitz-class carrier to undergo RCOH at the facility.
The award follows the shipyard’s work on USS John C. Stennis, CVN 74, which began under a $2.99 billion contract issued in February 2021. In September 2025, the Naval Sea Systems Command awarded HII a $160.1 million modification for additional Stennis refueling and overhaul services. The modification is cost-plus-incentive-fee, with work set to finish in October 2026.
How Else Is HII Supporting Navy Aircraft Carrier Readiness?
In August, HII Mission Technologies was one of four companies selected for a $147.9 million multiple-award contract supporting carrier readiness for Commander, Naval Air Forces. The contract covers hazardous material handling and professional engineering assistance.
HII also secured a potential $358.6 million contract in March 2025 for the inactivation of USS Nimitz.
